FAQs
Read The Answers To Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
Technical questions related to our products
We offer two distinct unlabeled tubulin protein reagents to give you control over product quality and pricing. Our best-selling Cycled Tubulin™ is isolated from bovine by successive polymerization/depolymerization cycles and cryopreserved. The enhanced solubility and polymerization activity of Cycled Tubulin™ make it the best performing tubulin protein reagent on the market. Lyophilized Tubulin is purified from bovine by selective precipitation and lyophilized for storage at room temperature, and is comparable to other commercially available tubulin protein reagents. Both protein products are >99% pure.
Cycled Tubulin is a premium research-grade product recommended for most experimental applications, especially for use in microscopy-based assays. Cycled Tubulin demonstrates significantly increased solubility and polymerization competency in comparison to Lyophilized Tubulin as evidenced in the turbidity plots below, allowing researchers to assess a broader dynamic range of tubulin activity. However, as Cycled Tubulin is cryopreserved, it requires shipping on dry ice and storage at -80˚C. We offer Lyophilized Tubulin for use in contexts wherein deep freeze storage conditions are not available because of its long-term stability at room temperature. Lyophilized Tubulin serves as an economical option for population-level assays and high-throughput screening applications. Lyophilized Tubulin is comparable to Cytoskeleton Inc.’s product #T240.
Side-by-side comparison of Cycled Tubulin (Cat. No. 032005) and Lyophilized Tubulin (Cat. No. 142001) in a turbidity assay wherein microtubule polymerization is monitored by light scattering.
Our tubulin products are native proteins purified from bovine brain, and are primarily constituted of alpha- and beta-tubulin heterodimers. We have determined by mass spectrometry that the most abundant isotypes consistently include αI-, βII-, βIII-, and βIV.
Our in-house production facilitates tight regulatory procedures and quality control measures that minimize variability among lots, a claim that we support with mass spectrometry data. As a matter of best practice, we track lots previously purchased through our CRM software and will provide that same lot to you on subsequent orders, if available. We also offer bulk discounts so that you can stock up on protein from a single lot, as well as custom alert services (upon request) that notify you when a specific lot in our inventory is running low. Contact the Solutions Team to set a custom low lot availability alert.
Our labeled tubulin proteins are stored in K-glutamate + MgCl2 as this is the ideal buffer for live cell microinjection and frog egg extract applications. This buffer does not interfere with the polymerization of fluorescent microtubules in vitro. For generating fluorescent microtubules in vitro, we recommend using a mixture of labeled and unlabeled tubulin proteins in Tubulin PEM Buffer (also known as BRB80). See our protocols library for detailed microtubule polymerization protocols, including the generation of short, rigid microtubules stabilized by GMPCPP and long, flexible microtubules stabilized by taxol.
It is common to use a mixture of labeled and unlabeled tubulin proteins when generating fluorescent microtubules in vitro in order to minimize any undesirable effects of the dye/biomolecule on microtubule dynamics and save on reagent cost. The ratio of labeled to unlabeled tubulin protein should be adjusted based on the particular application and desired brightness. We recommend starting with a labeled to unlabeled tubulin ration of 1:5 and adjusting to achieve the lowest ratio that provides adequate signal for a particular experiment. See our protocols library for detailed microtubule polymerization protocols or contact the Solutions Team for help in troubleshooting.
We strongly advise against diluting prior to refreezing, as tubulin protein does not store well at concentrations below 20 mg/ml. If larger handling volumes are desired when working with labeled tubulin, consider mixing with unlabeled tubulin (i.e. Cycled Tubulin, Cat. No. 032005) prior to refreezing.
The product quantity refers to the amount of tubulin or actin protein provided. For example, 3 mg Ultra-Pure Actin (Cat. No. 160303) is 3 mg actin protein supplied as 9 mg powder.
Yes, we are happy to cater to custom requests with no upcharge (a minimum order quantity may be required). Contact the Solutions Team to submit your request and receive pricing. We will respond within 1 business day if not sooner.
Yes, we are happy to perform custom labeling with no upcharge (a minimum order quantity may be required). Contact the Solutions Team to submit your request and receive pricing. We will respond within 1 business day if not sooner.
General questions related to our company and services
We are the only company to make the cytoskeleton our primary focus. We have made tubulin and actin “preps” our specialty in order to provide cytoskeletal researchers with hassle-free and trusted reagents. We are different from other protein suppliers in that we promote full transparency into our production pipeline so that you can be confident in assessing your experimental results, and we are the only company to offer cycled bovine tubulin, Alexa Fluor®-labeled tubulin, and Cy5-labeled tubulin. These proteins are higher quality and consistency than previous sources of commercial tubulin, finally enabling researchers to confidently outsource their reagent generation and remain focused on their experiments.
Our larger mission is to serve as a deeper resource for the cytoskeleton community. Revenue from protein sales funds initiatives including reagent scholarships, tubulin in the classroom, a cytoskeleton-focused newsletter, and more! Ultimately, as a small business driven to positively impact cytoskeletal research, we outperform other suppliers in:
- product quality
- customer service
- supportive initiatives
Our company was founded on the need for quality tubulin proteins as easily-accessible commercial reagents. That meant bringing tubulin proteins of higher purity and solubility to market. Our name, PurSolutions, is a vow to our customers that we will deliver the most pure and soluble biological reagents possible in order to accelerate your research efforts. The double entendre of “Solutions” is also intended, as we aim to provide customers with technical and logistical solutions that drive research progress.
As a testament to our company name, our flagship product outperforms other tubulin protein products in purity, solubility, and polymerization competency (assessed by mass spectrometry, turbidity, and fluorescence microscopy). Named “Cycled Tubulin”, this product is isolated from bovine neuronal tissue by successive rounds of polymerization and depolymerization in high salt buffers. Our logo symbolizes this purification process, with solid and dotted lines in the shape of a droplet denoting the purity achieved from successive polymerization and depolymerization cycles.
We never want research to be delayed due to logistical reasons and are happy to cater to individual customer’s needs. We often fulfill orders prior to receiving Purchase Orders for customers experiencing delays with their procurement office. This is one of the many customer service advantages you will experience when working with our small business. Contact the Solutions Team with any logistical concerns and we will work to find a solution.
We move fast with same-day fulfillment of orders placed before 2 pm ET and overnight delivery. In other words, the product will be delivered to your benchtop tomorrow. Robust inventory management and rapid order fulfillment are one of the many benefits of working with our small business.
Customers can place an order by emailing a Purchase Order to [email protected] or by a secure checkout process at https://PureSoluble.com. Our website supports payment by Credit Card and Purchase Order.
Yes, we ship our products to most countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. There are two procurement options for our customers outside of the United States: ordering directly from PurSolutions or through one of our partnered distributors. These methods differ in pricing and delivery time on a case by case basis. We are happy to support whichever method is preferred by the customer. Contact the Solutions Team with help assessing the best option. We will respond within 1 business day if not sooner.
Please contact the Solutions Team with any technical or logistical questions. We will respond within 1 business day if not sooner. We also offer instant chat support on our website during normal business hours.
We proudly support an artist-in-residence program at PurSolutions, providing an environment for artists to explore molecular concepts with methods in 3D modeling, motion graphics, and animation. We believe illustration is a powerful tool for scientific communication and offer custom artwork services leveraging our in-house scientific and digital artwork expertise. Contact the Solutions Team to submit a project inquiry. We will respond within 1 business day if not sooner.
We publish a monthly newsletter tailored specifically to cytoskeleton researchers showcasing critical research updates, job postings, and noteworthy happenings within the community. To have your content considered for the newsletter, please contact the Solutions Team.