Amine-reactive linkers, also known as amino-reactive linkers, are chemical compounds that selectively react with primary amine groups (-NH2) present on biomolecules such as antibodies, proteins, peptides, and other amine-containing compounds. These linkers are widely used to covalently attach various molecules-such as fluorescent dyes, drugs, or affinity tags-to target biomolecules. Applications include protein labeling, interaction studies, surface modification, and conjugation for diagnostics or therapeutics.
Common amine-reactive functional groups include:
These functional groups enable efficient and site-specific modification of biomolecules, particularly through lysine residues or N-terminal amino groups.