G418 Sulfate Solution

G418 Sulfate is used as a selective antibiotic in the concentration range of 100 - 200 µg/mL for bacteria, or 200 – 500 µg/mL for most mammalian cells. It is also used for the selection of transfected mammalian cells, yeast, dictyostelium, plant and bacteria.

G418 Sulfate is an aminoglycoside related to Gentamicin and is toxic to bacteria, yeast,higher plants, mammalian cells, protozoans and helminths. The resistance genes are located on transposons Tn601(903) and Tn5 and are bacterial in derivation, but they can be expressed in eukaryotic cells. By introducing these genes into cells, resistance to G418 Sulfate is conferred. G418 Sulfate is an effective selecting agent utilized in killing prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

The mechanism of action occurs by inhibiting protein synthesis by binding to ribosomes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, therefore killing the non-resistant cells. Due to this binding mechanism, cells will generally take several days to die. Resistance is conferred by the bacterial gene for aminoglycoside-3-phosphototransferase that can be expressed in eucaryotic cells. Cells may have variable resistance and can take up to one week to die; adherent cells may be more sensitive.

Cell Type- Dictyostelium: a) 10 mg/L- Cells grown inmedium, b) 30 mg/L- Cells plated on lyophilized bacteria; Mammalian: a) 400 mg/L-1000 mg/L- For Selection, b) 200 mg/L-For Maintenance; Plant: a) 25 mg/L-50 mg/L-For Selection, b) 10 mg/L- For Maintenance; Yeast a) 500 mg/L- For Selection, b) 125 mg/L-200 mg/L- For Maintenance; Bacteria: 8 mg/L-16 mg/L-For Selection