Ampicillin (Sodium), USP Grade

Ampicillin Sodium, USP Grade is a β-lactam antibiotic used extensively in molecular biology as a selection agent for bacterial cloning and protein expression workflows. With ≥98% purity and high solubility, this USP-grade powder is ideal for selecting amp^r plasmids inE. coli, maintaining recombinant strains, and preparing high-quality plasmids for mammalian cell transfection. Ampicillin’s targeted inhibition of cell wall synthesis ensures reliable selection pressure, making it a key component in cloning, transformation, and resistance studies. GoldBio’s ampicillin sodium delivers the purity, consistency, and research-grade performance required for modern biotechnology labs.Ampicillin sodium is a member of the extended-spectrum β-lactam family and similar in structure to penicillin. It is used in the selection of antibiotic cell hybrids and has a high rate of action against many gram-negative bacterial strains. Ampicillin sodium targets non-ESBL (Extended Spectrum β-lactamase) bacteria includingStaphylococcusandStreptococcusspecies and medically important enteric pathogens such asShigellaandSalmonella. It has been found to be effective against certain β-lactam sensitive VRE or vancomycin resistantEnterococcusspecies. Resistance to ampicillin is routinely utilized as a selectable marker to confirm successful cell transformation. Ampicillin Sodium is freely soluble in water.β-lactams inhibit the formation of peptidoglycan cross-links within bacterial cell walls by targeting penicillin-binding proteins or PBPs. Consequently, the bacterial cell wall becomes weak and cytolysis occurs. Resistance to β-lactam antibiotics occurs in the presence of cells containing plasmid encoded extended spectrum β-lactamases or ESBLs.Antibiotics are often used in clinical in vitro tests known as antimicrobial susceptibility tests or ASTs to determine their efficacy against certain bacterial species. They are tested against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria using panels, discs, and MIC strips by medical microbiologists. ASTs decrease the risk of using an antibiotic against bacteria exhibiting resistance to it, and the results are used in clinical settings to determine which antibiotic (s) to prescribe for various infections.Request a Bulk QuoteNeed larger quantities for your research or production runs? Usethis form to request a custom bulk quoteand secure the best value for your lab. Your account manager will follow up with you promptly to provide tailored pricing and support for your order.Common Research Applications for Ampicillin Sodium (Click each for more information) Bacterial Selection in Molecular CloningPurpose: Ampicillin sodium is widely used to selectE. coliand other bacteria transformed with plasmids encoding β-lactamase (ampr) .How it Works: Ampicillin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by targeting penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), leading to cell lysis. Only bacteria expressing β-lactamase survive.Applications: Essential in maintaining selective pressure for plasmid retention in cloning, protein expression, and plasmid amplification.Sutcliffe, J. G. (1978) . Nucleotide sequence of the ampicillin resistance gene ofEscherichia coliplasmid pBR322.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 75 (8), 3737–3741.Maintenance of Recombinant Strains in Protein Expression SystemsPurpose: Ensures retention of recombinant plasmids during large-scale protein expression inE. coli.How it Works: Continued antibiotic pressure prevents plasmid loss by eliminating non-resistant cells.Applications: Widely used in both academic and industrial production of recombinant proteins.Sørensen, H. P., & Mortensen, K. K. (2005) . Advanced genetic strategies for recombinant protein expression inEscherichia coli.Journal of Biotechnology, 115 (2), 113–128.Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing and Resistance StudiesPurpose: Serves as a control and test antibiotic for characterizing bacterial β-lactam resistance.How it Works: Ampicillin is incorporated into MIC assays or disk diffusion to determine susceptibility profiles.Applications: Used in clinical and research settings to track β-lactam resistance trends.European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) . (2024) . Breakpoint tables for interpretation of MICs and zone diameters.Study of β-Lactamase Enzyme Kinetics and InhibitionPurpose: Used as a β-lactam substrate in enzymatic assays for β-lactamase activity and inhibition.How it Works: Ampicillin hydrolysis can be monitored spectrophotometrically or chromatographically.Applications: Studies of enzyme kinetics, resistance mechanisms, and β-lactamase inhibitor development.Drawz, S. M., & Bonomo, R. A. (2010) . Three decades of β-lactamase inhibitors.Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 23 (1), 160–201.Selection in Mammalian Cell Culture with Shuttle VectorsPurpose: Enables bacterial-phase propagation and selection of shuttle vectors before transfection into mammalian cells.How it Works: Plasmids used in mammalian systems typically include an ampicillin resistance gene for propagation inE. coli.Applications: Used in workflows involving transfection-grade plasmid preparation and mammalian expression.Sambrook, J., & Russell, D. W. (2001) .Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (3rd ed.) . Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.BenefitsReliable Plasmid Selection:Ensures high-efficiency selection inE. coliand other gram-negative hosts using β-lactamase-expressing vectors.Easy Preparation:Highly soluble in water, simplifying sterile stock solution preparation and media supplementation.Protocol Compatibility:Compatible with standard LB agar, broth, and transformation methods, and used across nearly all major vector systems.Reproducibility and Quality:USP-grade material offers consistency for both bench research and scale-up production.Versatility in Molecular Workflows:Plays a role in both bacterial and pre-transfection plasmid workflows, offering flexibility for research transitions.Ampicillin Stock Solution - 100 mg/mlInstructionsWeigh 1 g of Ampicillin (Ampicillin (Sodium), GoldBio Catalog # A-301 [CAS 69-52-3, mw.= 371.4]) .Add 10 ml of sterile H2O. Dissolve completely.Prewet a 0.22 μm syringe filter by drawing through 5-10 ml of sterile H2O and discard water.Sterilize Ampicillin Stock through the prepared 0.22 μm syringe filter.Stock may be kept at -80°C for 1 year.Note:Ampicillin solutions degrade 13% after one week at -20°C.