Avidin’s rapid and almost irreversible binding to biotin supports many applications in both in vivo and in vitro research. Specific and tight binding to avidin can still occur when biotin has been bound to another compound through the use of a spacer arm. Cross linking with biotinylated molecules can occur under widely different experimental conditions and this has led to many innovative techniques in the fields of protein purification (affinity chromatography), affinity cytochemistry, and the study of cell surface molecular interactions.

There are virtually unlimited biochemical possibilities inherent in the avidin-biotin system, where affinity reactions are needed. A few examples of applications that have been developed for avidin are:

• as an aid in amplifying the sensitivity of immunoassays;
• as a general diagnostic tool in all fields of biology;
• for drug delivery of tumour-specifi c antibodies; and
• as a genetic probe for gene mapping.

The application of the avidin-biotin system requires the availability of various avidin-conjugated probes and many group specific derivatives, including enzymes, antigens, antibodies, lectins, hormones, nucleic acids, cells, and sub-cellular organelles. The ultra-high purity of Neova’s avidin makes it particularly attractive for maximum efficacy of the various probes and derivatives; minimizing background interference.