The digoxigenin (DIG) system for non-radioactive labelling and detection of nucleic acids--an overview

The use of non-radioactive nucleic acid probes has increased dramatically over the last years. The convenience of not having to deal with radioactive isotopes combined with the stability and economy of the non-radioactive systems has led to applications in various techniques. One of the most successful labelling and detection systems is based on the hapten digoxigenin. Here, the different methods for labelling nucleic acids with digoxigenin as well as the various possibilities for detection are described. Some typical applications illustrate the utility of the DIG system.