THE DIGOXIGENIN (DIG) SYSTEM FOR NONRADIOACTIVE LABELING AND DETECTION OF NUCLEIC-ACIDS - AN OVERVIEW

The use of non-radioactive nucleic acid probes has increased dramatica lly over the last years. The convenience of not having to deal with ra dioactive isotopes combined with the stability and economy of the nonr adioactive systems has led to applications in various techniques. One of the most successful labelling and detection systems is based on the hapten digoxigenin. Here, the different methods for labelling nucleic acids with digoxigenin as well as the various possibilities for detec tion are described. Some typical applications illustrate the utility o f the DIG system.