What is a common use of biotin in hybridization labeling?

Biotin is widely used as a non-radioactive label in hybridization labeling because of its strong and specific affinity for streptavidin or avidin, which are proteins that bind biotin with high affinity. This property allows for the detection and visualization of nucleic acids in various applications like Southern blots, Northern blots, and microarray analysis. The use of biotin eliminates the safety concerns associated with radioactive materials while still providing sensitive and specific detection capabilities through the use of enzymes or fluorophores that can be attached to the streptavidin or avidin.

In contrast, other options like using biotin as a radioactive label would not leverage biotin's unique properties, and promoting DNA degradation or inhibiting mutations falls outside the intended purpose of biotin in hybridization processes. These points clarify the role and advantages of using biotin as a non-radioactive label in molecular diagnostics.