- Ortho-Nitrophenyl-β-galactoside
Chembox new
ImageFile = ONPG structure.png
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IUPACName = ("2R,3R,4S,5R")-2-(Hydroxymethyl)-6-(2-nitrophenoxy)oxane-3,4,5-triol
OtherNames = 2-Nitrophenylgalactoside
Abbreviations = ONPG
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 19710-96-4
PubChem = 123646
SMILES = O= [N+] ( [O-] )C1=CC=CC=C1O [C@@H] 2O [C@H] (CO) [C@H] (O) [C@H] (O) [C@H] 2O
MeSHName = 2-nitrophenylgalactoside
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = C12H15NO8
MolarMass = 301.249
Appearance =
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Section3 = Chembox Hazards
Solubility =
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Autoignition ="ortho"-Nitrophenyl-β-galactoside (ONPG) is a colorimetric and spectrophotometric substrate for detection of
beta-galactosidase activity. This compound is normally colorless. However if β-galactosidase is present, it hydrolyzes the ONPG molecule intogalactose andortho-nitrophenol . The latter compound has a yellow coloration that can be used to check forenzyme activity by means of a colorimetric assay.Beta-galactosidase is required for
lactose utilization, so the intensity of the color produced can be used as a measure of the rate that Beta-galactosidase can hydrolyze lactose.Though ONPG mimics lactose and is hydrolysed by Beta-galactosidase, it is unable to act as an inducer for the lac operon. Without another lactose analog that can act as an inducer, such as IPTG, Beta-galactosidase will not be transcribed and ONPG will not be hydrolyzed.
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