Disuccinimidyl tartrate is widely used as a crosslinking agent in bioconjugation processes. It enables the formation of stable amide bonds between primary amines on proteins, peptides, or other amine-containing molecules. Due to its hydrophilic nature and ability to react under mild aqueous conditions, it is particularly useful in preparing protein-protein or protein-antibody conjugates for applications in immunoassays, diagnostic reagents, and targeted drug delivery systems.

The spacer arm contains a tartrate core, which provides rigidity and helps maintain the structural orientation of linked molecules. This is beneficial in preserving the biological activity of conjugated proteins. It is also employed in immobilizing biomolecules onto surfaces such as biosensors or microplates, where controlled orientation and minimal non-specific binding are required.

Because it is membrane-impermeable and water-soluble, it is suitable for extracellular labeling and crosslinking in biological systems without disrupting cell integrity. Its use is common in proteomics research for capturing protein-protein interactions and stabilizing transient complexes for analysis.