Alizarin & Alizarin Sodium Salt

Alizarin based substrates offer the advantage over indoxyl substrates that they can be used under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Following bacterial hydrolysis, the released alizarin forms a complex with various metal ions giving brightly coloured chelates. In the presence of ferric ions, the released alizarin forms dark brown colonies, whereas red/pink colonies are produced if aluminium ions are included in the media.

Alizarin beta-D-glucopyranoside (Product code 89059) is a highly sensitive substrate for the detection of bacterial beta-glucosidase activity. Alizarin beta-D-galactopyranoside (Product code 89045) is a highly sensitive substrate with comparable activity to X-gal (product code 70045).

Glycosynth also offers the sodium salt versions of all alizarin substrates offered; Alizarin beta-D-galactopyranoside sodium salt (Product code 51045) and Alizarin beta-D-glucopyranoside sodium salt (Product code 51059). These substrates have increased solubility compared to the free acid derivatives.