AQ-Link™ Technology

For covalent immobilization of functional groups and biomolecules.

Introduction
The AQ-Link™ technology is based on a photochemical method for covalent immobilization of functional groups and biomolecules. The anthraquinone (AQ) molecule can be immobilized onto all surfaces containing -CHx- groups e.g., polymeric substrates as well as silanized glass, upon irradiation with soft UV-light (290-400 nm).


Figure 1. AQ-Link™ formation

Benefits of the AQ-Link™ technology  

• Broad applicability - compatible with different formats e.g. microplates, PCR tubes, polymeric slides, silanised glass slides, petri dishes, magnetic beads etc
• Low reagent consumption
• Compatibility with aqueous solutions
• Useful for covalent immobilization of biomolecules using a 1- or 2-step immobilization strategy
• Useful for immobilization of functional groups
• Immobilization of oligonucleotides, PCR products, peptides, proteins etc.
• Can render polymer surfaces more hydrophilic
• Compatible with ELISA techniques
• Compatible with fluorescent dyes
• AQ-Link™ phosphoramidite available for convenient introduction of AQ into oligonucleotides

 

Biomolecules can generally be immobilized using two different approaches (Figure 2). In a one-step immobilization process, the biomolecules are attached to the AQ-molecule before UV light immobilization. In a two-step immobilization process, an AQ-reagent consisting of AQ, a linker and a functional group are immobilized before the chosen biomolecule is immobilized.
 


Figure 2 Biomolecules can be immobilized in two different ways.

Applications

The range of applicability of the AQ-Link chemistry is illustrated in the table below. The ability to mix and match the various ligands and solid supports utilized with the AQ-Link™ provides unique opportunities to design optimized application-specific surfaces.


Table 1 AQ-Link™ applicability (Click to learn more)

Exiqon offers the following AQ-Link™ products:  

• AQ-Link™ Phosphoramidite for the introduction of the photosensitive AQ in the 5’-end of an oligonucleotide for region-specific immobilization of oligonucleotides to e.g. microplates
• AQ-Link™ Amino for covalent coupling of e.g. phosphate or carbolic acid containing biomolecules for example polysaccharides and peptides.
• AQ-Link™ Carboxylic Acid for covalent coupling of e.g. amino containing biomolecules e.g. proteins and peptides.
• AQ-Link™ Electrophile for activation of polymeric surfaces e.g. microplates for subsequent reaction with amines or thiols
• AQ-Link™ Microplates for covalent coupling of biotinylated molecules, proteins and peptides and for detection of histidine-tagged and GST fusion proteins (available from Nunc  under the name Immobilizer™)