Biotinylated lectins are commercially-available from several vendors and can be used in combination with IRDye streptavidin to detect glycoproteins.
Transferrin contains N-linked glycoprotein structures and was separated on two reducing and denaturing 10% Bis-Tris gels. One gel was probed with biotinylated ConA and detected with IRDye 800CW streptavidin. The positive control was HRP (Horseradish Peroxidase).
A second gel was transferred to nitrocellulose, probed with biotinylated ConA and detected with IRDye® 800CW streptavidin. Both the gel and the membrane were imaged on the Odyssey and showed signal with the lectin, ConA. This confirmed the presence of mannose residues, indicative of N-linked glycan structures. The positive control was HRP (Horseradish Peroxidase).