4-Nitrophenyl-β-D-mannopyranoside is a chromogenic β-mannosidase substrate which yields a yellow solution upon cleavage.

Nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside acts as a chromogenic substrate for β-Glucosidase. When cleaved, Nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside produces a yellow solution, and its appearance can be measured spectrophotometically.

The study of β-Glucosidase is particularly important as this enzyme is necessary for cell wall degradation and is inherent in some fungi and bacterial pathogens.

5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl nonanoate is a chromogenic substrate that yields a blue precipitate with C9 cleavage.

5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl phosphate is used in visualizing alkaline phosphatase activity via immunohistochemistry. It is also used as a substrate and visualizing agent in blotting, ELISA’s and in situ hybridization.

5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl thymidine-3'-phosphate is an enzyme substrate for phosphodiesterase II and can also be used for detecting bacterial deoxyribonuclease. It yields a blue precipitate.

X-β-D-glucuronide sodium salt is a substrate for β-glucuronidase (GUS), yielding a blue precipitate upon cleavage. X-β-D-glucuronide sodium salt is highly accepted as an accurate test for the presence of E. coli in water. X-β-D-glucuronide sodium salt is nonelectrostatic and possesses a naturally occurring cation; therefore, it has advantages over X-β-D-glucuronide cyclohexylammonium salt.