DTT Dithiothreitol

One of the uses of DTT is as a reductant and deprotector of thiolated DNA. Sulfur atoms at the end of thiolated DNA tend to form dimers in solution, especially in the presence of oxygen. This dimerization greatly reduces the efficiency of some coupling reaction experiments (such as DNA fixation in biosensors); The addition of DTT in the DNA solution can reduce the DNA dimerization by removing it after a period of reaction.

DTT is also often used for the reduction of disulfide bonds in proteins, which can be used to prevent the formation of protein intramolecular or intermolecular disulfide bonds between cysteine in proteins. However, DTT is often unable to reduce the disulfide bonds embedded in the protein structure (inaccessible to solvents). The reduction of such disulfide bonds often requires protein denaturation (high temperature heating or adding denaturants, such as 6M guanidine hydrochloride, 8M urea or 1% SDS). On the contrary, according to the different reduction rates of disulfide bonds in the presence of DTT, the depth of its embedment can be determined