Measuring protein concentration

Accurately quantifying total protein concentration is a key step in most experiments and workflows involving isolation, separation, and analysis of proteins. We offer a variety of assay reagents, kits, and standards for protein quantitation by fluorescent or colorimetric detection with fluorometers, spectrophotometers, and plate readers.

Additionally, our products are offered with Dilution-Free protein standards for added ease-of-use with reduced set up time when generating your standard curve. Dilution-Free protein standards are a set of prediluted standards, packaged in a multichannel pipette compatible format which allows you to easily transfer a full dilution series to your microplate, at once.

Selection guide  Technical handbook

Which protein assay is right for you?

 packaging, reagent, and dilution-free tubes for Bradford assay
NEW Pierce Bradford Plus Protein Assay Kit with Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standard		packaging, reagents, and dilution-free tubes for BCA protein assay
NEW Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit with Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards		packaging, reagents, and dilution-free tubes for BCA protein assay
NEW Pierce Dilution-Free Rapid Gold BCA Protein Assay Kit		packaging and reagents for qubit assay
Qubit Protein Broad Range Assay

Choose when

  • Speed and ease-of-use are important
  • Accuracy and reproducibility are important
  • Accuracy and reproducibility are important
  • Speed and ease-of-use are important
  • Compatibility and convenience are important
  • High-throughput is not important
Best-in-Class Accuracy (low protein-protein variation) ✓✓✓
Broad Dynamic Range (>2 mg/mL wide)  ✓✓
Fast (≤ 15 min.)✓ ✓✓
Dilution-Free Standard Curve Preparation✓✓✓✓

Dilution-Free Sample Preparation

  ✓✓

High-Throughput (compatible with microplate format)

✓✓✓ 
Compatible with Detergents ✓✓✓

Compatible with Reducing Agents

✓  ✓

Automatic Concentration Calculations with Qubit 4

   ✓
Automatic Concentration Calculations with SkanIt Software*✓✓✓ 
*SkanIt software available for Multiskan FC, Multiskan SkyHigh, Varioskan ALF, and Varioskan LUX microplate readers. Learn more

We now offer Dilution-Free products, comprising both protein assays and protein standards that make protein quantification easy, fast, and accurate. Pierce Dilution-Free products allow you to minimize tedious dilutions and pipetting errors in your protein assays, delivering accurate results while reducing assay setup time by up to 80%. Learn more about our Dilution-Free assays.

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    Overview of assays

    packaging, reagents, and dilution-free tubes for BCA protein assaypackaging, reagent, and dilution-free tubes for Bradford assaypackaging and reagents for qubit assay

    BCA Assays

    Copper-based protein assays, including the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) and Lowry methods.

    • Compatible with most surfactants—even if present in the sample at concentrations up to 5%
    • Linear response curve (R2 > 0.95)
    • Less protein–protein variation than the Coomassie dye–based assays
    • Dilution-Free BSA protein standards for faster assay time and effortless standard curve generation

    View all BCA protein assays

     

    Bradford Assays

    Coomassie dye-binding assays for fast and simple protein quantification.

    • Typically faster and easier to perform compared to most protein assays
    • Performed at room temperature
    • Compatible with most salts, solvents, buffers, thiols, reducing substances, and metal-chelating agents
    • Dilution-Free BSA protein standards for faster assay time and effortless standard curve generation

    View all Bradford assays and reagents

     

    Fluorescent Protein Assays

    Fluorescence-based protein quantification detection methods provide superior sensitivity.

    • Excellent sensitivity, requiring less protein sample for quantitation
    • Timing is not a critical factor, so the assays can be adapted for automated handling in high-throughput applications
    • Good protein-to-protein variation

    View all fluorescent protein assays

     

    Related products and downstream applications

    cell lysis buffer bottles
    protease and phosphatase inhibitor reagents, vial, and tubes
    electrophoresis gels, tanks, handcast system, stains, standards, and buffers
    western blotting gels and transfer system

    Resources

    Pierce Protein methods – an encyclopedia of articles about protein analysis

    Protein assay technical guide – tools and reagents for improved quantitation of total or specific proteins.

    Protein assay compatibility table – summarizes compatible substances for several popular protein assays.

    Protein Analysis Learning Center – resources for different protein analysis techniques

    Protein Biology Application Notes – journal-style articles based on research applications and proof-of-concept experiments

    Liberate yourself with Pierce Dilution-Free protein assays

    For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.