IPTG (dioxane free)

IPTG (dioxane free) (CAS No.: 367-93-1) is a synthetic, non-metabolizable galactose analog widely used as a molecular biology reagent to induce gene expression under the control of the lac operon in prokaryotic and engineered eukaryotic systems. Functionally, it acts as a molecular mimic of allolactose, binding to the LacI repressor and triggering its dissociation from the lac operator, thereby enabling transcriptional activation of downstream genes. Unlike lactose, IPTG is not hydrolyzed by cellular enzymes, allowing for sustained and stable induction of target gene expression. This compound is commonly employed in recombinant protein production, plasmid-based expression systems, and reporter assays, including applications using chromogenic substrates such as X-gal or bluo-gal for monitoring lacZ activity. In vitro, IPTG is typically effective in the low micromolar to millimolar range, with concentrations frequently spanning approximately 100 μM to 1.5 mM depending on the host strain, promoter strength, and experimental objectives. As a core tool in molecular cloning, synthetic biology, and functional genomics, IPTG enables precise temporal control of gene expression and is broadly utilized in cell-based assays and protein engineering workflows, with dosing and exposure conditions tailored to specific experimental designs.