Raw Materials for Life Sciences – Blocking Agents
rBSA (Recombinant Bovine Serum Albumin) - Diagnostic Grade
Recombinant Bovine Serum Albumin (rBSA) Diagnostic Grade is a non-animal derived albumin, functionally comparable to conventional BSA, but produced via heterologous expression in yeast. It serves as a cost-effective solution for routine diagnostic applications, providing protein stabilization and reducing non-specific binding in assays. While offering slightly lower purity than the Pharma Grade version, it retains excellent batch-to-batch consistency and eliminates the variability and risks associated with animal-derived materials.
Catalog for rBSA – Diagnostic Grade
Cat. No.
Size
Format
MT01G-D1RBSAHC
1 g
Powder
MT10G-D1RBSAHC
10 g
Powder
MT1CG-D1RBSAHC
100 g
Powder
Applications for rBSA – Diagnostic Grade
- ELISA
- Western Blot
- CLIA
- Lateral Flow Assays
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
- Latex agglutination assays
Documentation for rBSA – Diagnostic Grade
Cat. No.
Technical Data Sheet
Safety Data Sheet
Other information about rBSA – Diagnostic Grade
Illustration of percentage of animal-derived BSA and Levprot’s recombinant Bovine Serum Albumin necessary to obtain a similar signal in 3 different ELISAs. Set 1 corresponds to a sandwich ELISA, set 2 and 3 corresponds to indirect ELISAs.
Specific signal detected at a fixed concentration of antigen (bars) and non-specific signal detection without any antigen presence (dots) for animal Bovine Serum Albumin and Levprot’s recombinant Bovine Serum Albumin .
For more information, please refer to the Technical Data Sheet or ask our team about this product.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Fundamentals
What is recombinant BSA and how does it differ from animal-origin BSA?
Recombinant bovine serum albumin (rBSA) is produced through yeast-based precision fermentation rather than extracted from bovine plasma.
Unlike animal-origin BSA, rBSA is manufactured in a fully controlled, animal-free system, improving lot-to-lot consistency and reducing biological risk while maintaining the functional properties required in diagnostic workflows.
Does recombinant BSA maintain the same structure and function as bovine serum albumin?
Yes.
Levprot’s rBSA is designed to reproduce the native structure and biochemical functionality of bovine serum albumin.
It retains its characteristic folding, binding capacity, and stabilizing properties required for diagnostic and laboratory applications.
Does Levprot rBSA share the same CAS number as animal-origin BSA?
Yes.
Levprot recombinant BSA corresponds to the same protein entity as bovine serum albumin and therefore shares the same CAS number.
The difference lies in the production method, not in the molecular identity of the protein.
How does rBSA compare to ultra-pure animal-derived BSA?
Recombinant rBSA offers superior consistency due to controlled fermentation and purification processes.
It avoids variability linked to plasma sourcing and eliminates animal-related contaminants, improving reliability in sensitive diagnostic assays.
Why is recombinant rBSA more functionally efficient than plasma-derived BSA?
Animal-derived BSA can contain bound lipids, hormones, and small molecules depending on donor variability.
Levprot’s rBSA is produced in a controlled system, resulting in a cleaner molecular profile that enhances assay reproducibility and reduces interference.
What does it mean that rBSA has empty binding pockets?
Plasma-derived BSA may carry residual ligands naturally present in blood, partially occupying binding sites.
“Empty binding pockets” means the albumin is not pre-loaded with endogenous ligands such as fatty acids.
This allows greater functional flexibility and improved predictability when used as a stabilizer or blocking agent in diagnostic systems.
Applications
Is rBSA Diagnostic Grade suitable for immunoassay stabilization?
Yes.
rBSA Diagnostic Grade is optimized for assay stability and consistency.
It is suitable for use in ELISA, lateral flow assays, immunoassays, and other diagnostic platforms where protein stabilization and low background are critical.
Does rBSA Diagnostic Grade meet the requirements for diagnostic workflows?
Yes.
rBSA Diagnostic Grade is designed to support diagnostic assay development and routine laboratory applications, ensuring reproducibility, controlled purity, and consistent performance in immunoassay and related diagnostic systems.
Is this rBSA RNase-free, DNase-free and DNA-free?
Yes.
rBSA Diagnostic Grade is produced under controlled conditions to minimize contaminants.
For specific nuclease or residual DNA specifications, please refer to the Technical Data Sheet or request batch-specific documentation from our technical team.
Can rBSA Diagnostic Grade directly replace animal-derived BSA in existing diagnostic protocols?
In most cases, yes.
Due to its molecular equivalence and functional similarity, rBSA can typically replace animal-derived BSA. However, minor optimization may be recommended in highly sensitive diagnostic systems.
What are the recommended storage conditions for rBSA Diagnostic Grade?
At what concentration can rBSA replace conventional BSA?
While plasma-derived BSA is commonly used at concentrations around 1 g/L, Levprot rBSA can often achieve comparable or improved performance at significantly lower concentrations, typically in the range of 10–50 mg/L, depending on the system and sensitivity of the assay.
This increased functional efficiency contributes to overall cost-effectiveness in many applications.
Safety & Regulatory
Is rBSA Diagnostic Grade free from animal-origin components?
Yes.
Levprot rBSA Molecular Biology Grade is fully animal-free and produced using yeast-based precision fermentation.
No animal-derived raw materials are used at any stage of production.
Does rBSA Diagnostic Grade eliminate TSE/BSE-related risks?
Yes.
Since it is not derived from bovine plasma, it eliminates risks associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE/BSE) and eases regulatory compliance.
Is rBSA free from endotoxins, IgG, viruses, and residual animal contaminants?
Yes.
Recombinant production avoids contaminants typically associated with plasma-derived proteins.
Batch-specific quality data and specifications are available upon request.
How is residual DNA controlled in yeast-expressed rBSA?
Residual host-cell DNA is controlled through validated purification processes.
Documentation and quality control data can be provided to support regulatory or validation requirements.
Supply
What are the main advantages of using animal-free rBSA?
Animal-free recombinant BSA offers several advantages compared to plasma-derived BSA:
- No animal-origin raw materials
- No TSE/BSE-related risk or documentation
- Improved batch-to-batch consistency
- Scalable and secure supply through fermentation
- Better alignment with regulatory, ethical, and sustainability requirements
These factors are critical in diagnostic manufacturing environments.
Is rBSA production scalable for diagnostic manufacturing demand?
Yes.
Precision fermentation enables scalable production suitable for both laboratory development and diagnostic manufacturing supply.
Is recombinant rBSA more cost-effective than plasma-derived BSA in practice?
Although the unit price per gram may differ from conventional BSA, rBSA can often be used at significantly lower concentrations due to its functional efficiency.
Can rBSA be validated before committing to bulk volumes?
Yes.
Validation samples can be evaluated prior to large-volume commitments. Customers are encouraged to perform application-specific testing to confirm suitability.