Learn More
Invitrogen™ Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA)
Description
Thermo Fisher Scientific offers a broad selection of fluorescent wheat germ agglutinin conjugates. These lectins can bind to carbohydrates and are available conjugated to Alexa Fluor™, Alexa Fluor™ Plus, and other fluorescent dyes. Fluorescent wheat germ agglutinin conjugates are valuable tools in molecular and cell biology research, enabling researchers to label the plasma membrane in fluorescence imaging and cell painting assays, and study and analyze glycosylation patterns and glycan-mediated processes in cells and tissues.
Thermo Fisher Scientific offers bright conjugates of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) with Alexa Fluor, Alexa Fluor Plus, and other dyes. WGA is a cell impermeant stain that selectively binds to N‐acetylglucosamine and N‐acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid) residues, which are often found on cell membranes. Fluorescent WGA conjugates provide selective labeling of the plasma membrane with minimal background in many cell types that is retained after formaldehyde fixation and permeabilization with Triton X-100.
These fluorescent lectin conjugates can also be used to label fixed cells; however, to avoid labeling intracellular components, formaldehyde-fixed cells should not be permeabilized before labeling. Fluorescent WGA conjugates are used as plasma membrane stains along with other cellular markers in cell painting assays to provide a phenotypic readout of cell health or cytotoxicity. The Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor 555 Conjugate is included in the Image-iT Cell Painting Kit (Cat. Nos. I65000 and I65500).
WGA conjugates are also used as retrograde tracers for neuronal tracing experiments and have been shown to cross synapses. These fluorescent lectins are applicable in microbiology studies to label yeast bud scars, the cell membrane of gram-positive but not gram-negative bacteria, and chitin in fungal cell walls. In solution, WGA exists as a heterodimer with a molecular weight of approximately 38,000 Daltons and is normally cationic under physiological conditions. Our WGA conjugates have been used in variety of applications, including immunofluorescence (IF), immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry (FC), and a wide range of chemical, biochemical and immunological assays.
Thermo Fisher Scientific offers a broad selection of fluorescent wheat germ agglutinin conjugates with options covering the entire wavelength range. The Wheat Germ Agglutinin Sampler Kit (Cat. No. W7024) includes introductory samples of four fluorescent WGAs: Alexa Fluor 350, Oregon Green 488, tetramethylrhodamine, and Texas Red-X conjugates. The red-fluorescent Alexa Fluor 594 wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugate is also included in the Image-iT LIVE Plasma Membrane and Nuclear Labeling Kit (Cat. No. I34406). The Texas Red-X WGA conjugate can be purchased in the ViaGram Red+ Bacterial Gram Stain and Viability Kit (Cat. No. V7023) to differentiate gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugates fluorescence excitation/emission
W11261 WGA, Alexa Fluor 488 conjugate: 495 nm/519 nm
W11263 WGA, Alexa Fluor 350 conjugate: 346 nm/442 nm
W32464 WGA, Alexa Fluor 555 conjugate: 555 nm/580 nm
W11262 WGA, Alexa Fluor 594 conjugate: 590 nm/617 nm
W21404 WGA, Alexa Fluor 633 conjugate: 632 nm/647 nm
W32466 WGA, Alexa Fluor 647 conjugate: 650 nm/665 nm
W32465 WGA, Alexa Fluor 680 conjugate: 679 nm/702 nm
W56132 WGA, Alexa Fluor Plus 405 conjugate: 408 nm/450 nm
W56133 WGA, Alexa Fluor Plus 568 conjugate: 562 nm/583 nm
W56134 WGA, Alexa Fluor Plus 770 conjugate: 770 nm/797 nm
W834 WGA, fluorescein conjugate: 494 nm/518 nm
W6748 WGA, Oregon Green 488 conjugate: 496 nm/524 nm
W849 WGA, tetramethylrhodamine conjugate: 555 nm/580 nm
W21405 WGA, Texas Red-X conjugate: 595 nm/615 nm
Specifications
Specifications
| For Use With (Application) | Flow Cytometry, Immunocytochemistry, Immunofluorescence, Immunohistochemistry, Cell Painting |
| Quantity | 5 mg |
| Source | Wheat germ |
| Common Name | Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor™ 350 Conjugate |
| Conjugate | Alexa Fluor 350 |
| Species | Wheat |
| Recombinant | Native |
| Protein Tag | None |
| Content And Storage | Store in freezer (-5 to -30°C) and protect from light. |
| Shipping Condition | Room Temperature |
| Show More |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. Although labeling in buffer (such as Hank's Buffered Saline Solution) is slightly better for brightness and lower non-cell background, media can be used. Do a concentration range to dertermine optimal conditions, since the WGA may potentially bind media components to some extent, slightly decreasing your specific labeling intensity.
No. For paraffin sections, there are few options due to the delipidation of the membranes by solvents used in the deparaffinization steps. The only good option is to use an antibody against a plasma membrane protein.
No. Those lectins have been shown to label Golgi in fixed and permeabilized cultured cells, but the selectivity is cell type dependent. Usually you wind up with other structures labeling as well, such as endoplasmic reticulum. The only guaranteed way to specifically label Golgi in already fixed cells is to use an antibody for a Golgi-specific antigen.
Confirm that the tracer you are using crosslinks to proteins or has a primary amine for fixation-either a hydrazide, lysine fixable dextran, or a protein conjugate.
Use aldehyde-based fixatives to cross link the amines on the tracer.
Inject a larger amount or higher concentration of the tracer. Tracers are generally injected at 1-20% concentrations (10 mg/mL or higher).
Confirm that you are using the correct fluorescent filter for detection. You can perform a spot test by pipetting a small amount of the undiluted stock solution of the tracer onto a slide, then view under the filter you are using on your microscope. This will confirm if the tracer fluorescence can be detected and the fluorescent microscope filter is working properly.
Review tissue fixation and handling procedures to confirm if any reagents or processing procedures could be affecting the tracer.
Wheat germ agglutinin and cholera toxin conjugates have been used for retrograde tracing. They may have some anterograde tracing in some applications. A selection guide can be found here (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-analysis/cell-tracing-tracking-and-morphology/neuronal-tracing/protein-conjugates.html).
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
By clicking Submit, you acknowledge that you may be contacted by Fisher Scientific in regards to the feedback you have provided in this form. We will not share your information for any other purposes. All contact information provided shall also be maintained in accordance with our Privacy Policy.