SMCC oligonucleotides are oligonucleotides modified with the SMCC linker (Succinimidyl 4-(N-maleimido-methyl) cyclohexane-1-carboxylate). This linker is commonly used for conjugation reactions to connect or crosslink biomolecules to each other. The SMCC linker contains both a N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester and a maleimide functional groups, making it very useful for crosslinking biomolecules.
Key Features of SMCC Oligonucleotides are:
Crosslinking Capability: The NHS ester reacts with primary amines, for example, on amino group in synthetic oligonucleotides or peptides, or on lysine residues in proteins, while the maleimide group reacts with thiols, for example, in cysteine residues in peptides or proteins, or thiol groups present in oligonucleotides.
Stable Conjugation: The maleimide-thiol bond forms a stable thioether linkage, which is resistant to hydrolysis.
Versatile Applications: SMCC labeled oligonucleotides are commonly used for linking oligonucleotides to proteins, peptides, enzymes, or nanoparticles in applications such as: Antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates, DNA-based biosensors, Nanoparticle functionalization, or Drug delivery systems. SMCC-modified oligonucleotides have a wide range of applications, particularly in bioconjugation, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs): AOCs are used in immuno-PCR, where an oligonucleotide is conjugated to an antibody for ultra-sensitive detection of antigens enabling the creation of proximity ligation assays (PLA) for detecting proteins in small quantities.
Nanoparticle Functionalization: SMCC labeling allows oligonucleotides to be attached to gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, or magnetic beads, useful in the design of biosensors, for targeted drug delivery, and imaging applications.
CRISPR/Cas9 Delivery and Labeling: SMCC-modified oligonucleotides can be conjugated to Cas9 proteins or guide RNAs for improved delivery in genome editing applications, enhances targeting efficiency and stability in vivo.
DNA-Protein Conjugates for Structural Biology: SMCC-modified oligonucleotides enable crosslinking oligonucleotides with proteins to study protein-DNA interactions, facilitating research in structural biology and mechanistic enzymology.
Enzyme-Oligonucleotide Conjugates: In biosensors, oligonucleotides are conjugated to enzymes for signal amplification in assays such as in ELISA-like nucleic acid-based detection systems.
RNA and siRNA Therapeutics: SMCC is used to attach targeting ligands such as peptides or antibodies to siRNA or RNA therapeutics for cell-specific delivery, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while reducing off-target effects.
Link: https://www.biosyn.com/tew/SMCC-and-Sulfo-SMCC-for-Cross-Linking-and-Conjugation.aspx