Endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major cell surface component of gram-negative bacteria, which could bind to different cell types when released into the bloodstream, plays a central role in the pathogenesis of septic shock syndromes. We have established a biotinylation procedure for labeling purified LPS molecules from Salmonella minnesota R595 and Escherichia coli J5 bacteria. The biotin group was conjugated to the bacterial LPS either by chemical oxidation of the LPS carbohydrate moiety (inner core region), followed by reduction with biotin-LC-hydrazide (biotinamido hexanoyl hydrazide), or by photoactivatable cross-linking with biotin-LC-ASA [1-(4-azidosalicylamido-)-6(biotinamido)-hexane], which was randomly attached to the carbohydrate and fatty acid (lipid A) groups of the LPS. Both labeled products retained biological activity (or endotoxicity) as evidenced by coagulation of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate. To determine its ability to bind avidin/streptavidin which in turn could be conjugated with enzymatic and fluorescent probes, the biotinylated LPS was used in enzyme immunoassay, Western blot, and flow cytometry. These assays were also used to analyze the binding of LPS ligand to its counterreceptor(s) on whole cell surface, membrane fragments, and in detergent lysates from human endothelial and monocytic cells. The described biotinylated LPS probes can be applied in a wide variety of techniques in receptor biochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and molecular cell biology.