Wako has taken over the distribution of Phos-tag products from those manufacturers NARD Institute, Ltd. and Manac Inc. in May, 2010.
 

Phos-tag technology
Phos-tag is a novel phosphate-binding tag at neutral pH (physiological pH) and was developed by Department of Functional Molecular Science at Hiroshima University. Phos-tag technologies are innovative methods using Phos-tag for separation, purification, and detection of phosphorylated substances (protein, peptide, etc.).
 

Under neutral pH conditions (physiological conditions), Phos-tag binds with an anionic substituent, especially strongly with a phosphomonoester dianion. Phos-tag can take the place of conventional enzyme immunoassay and radioactive isotope methods as an agent for capturing substances with an anionic substituent, especially a phosphomonoester dianion. Unstable phosphorylated compounds, which were difficult to measure up until now due to instability, can also be stabilized.
 

The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins are important themes relevant to information transmission in living bodies and are crucial for life functions. The clarification of such phosphorylation processes is a major theme of post-genome research and is targeted in the development of new drugs.
 

Phos-tag technology makes use of the properties of Phos-tag, that is, the properties of binding strongly under neutral pH conditions (physiological conditions) to anionic substituents, especially phosphomonoester dianions, and takes the place of conventional enzyme immunoassay and radioactive isotope methods as a technology for capturing substances with an anionic substituent, especially a phosphomonoester dianion, as well as stabilizing unstable phosphorylated compounds, which were difficult to measure up until now due to instability. Generally with a captured compound, the captured anionic compound dissociates at a pH of 3 to 4.
Applications
The properties of Phos-tag, which enable labeling of most compounds having a phosphate group in the molecule, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and other biochemical substances, can be put to use in the following applications.
Application (1): Electrophoresis:
Phos-tag Acrylamide (AAL-107) [Wako Cat. #304-93521 (10 mg)]
Phos-tag Acrylamide (AAL-107) [Wako Cat. #300-93523 (2 mg)]
Application (2): Surface plasmon resonance (SPR):
Phos-tag Biotin BTL-104 [Wako Cat. #301-93531 (10 mg)]
Phos-tag Biotin BTL-105 [Wako Cat. #304-93541 (10 mg)]
Application (3): Western Blotting:
Phos-tag Biotin BTL-104 [Wako Cat. #301-93531 (10 mg)]
Phos-tag Biotin BTL-105 [Wako Cat. #304-93541 (10 mg)]
Application (4): Mass spectrometry (MS):
Phos-tag Mass Analytical Kit (MS-101KIT) [Wako Cat. #305-93551 (1 set)]
Application (5): Enrichment, Separation and Purification:
Phos-tag Agarose AG-501 [Wako Cat. #302-93561 (0.5 mL)]
Phos-tag Agarose AG-503 [Wako Cat. #308-93563 (3 mL)]
Application (6): NMR
Application (7): Deactivators
Application (8): Enzyme inhibitors

Reference
 

1. "Recognition of phosphate monoester dianion by an alkoxide-bridged dinuclear zinc (II) complex", E. Kinoshita, M. Takahashi, H. Takeda, M. Shiro, and T. Koike, Dalton Trans., 21, 1189-1193 (2004).
    
2. "Phosphate-binding tag: A new tool to visualize phosphorylated proteins", E. Kinoshita, E. Kinoshita-Kikuta, K. Takiyama, and T. Koike,Mol. Cell. Proteomics, 5, 749-757 (2006).
    
3. "Detection and Quantification of On-Chip Phosphorylated Peptides by SurfacePlasmon Resonance Imaging Techniques Using a Phosphate Capture Molecule", K. Inamori, M. Kyo, Y. Nishiya, Y. Inoue, T. Sonoda, E. Kinoshita, T. Koike, and Y. Katayama, Anal. Chem., 77, 3979-3985 (2006).
    
4. "Identification on Membrane and Characterization of Phosphoproteins Using an Alkoxide-Bridged Dinuclear Metal Complex as a Phosphate-Binding Tag Molecule", T. Nakanishi, E. Ando, M. Furuta, E. Kinoshita, E. Kikuta-Kinoshita, T. Koike, S. Tsunasawa, and O. Nishimura, J. Biomol. Tech., 18, 278-286 (2007).