Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids 2015-01-01

A New Organic Dye-Based Staining for The Detection of Plant DNA in Agarose Gels.

Özlem Ateş Sönmezoğlu, Kerime Özkay

Index: Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids 34 , 515-22, (2015)

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Abstract

Ethidium bromide (EtBr) is used to stain DNA in agarose gel electrophoresis, but this dye is mutagenic and carcinogenic. We investigated N-719, which is a visible, reliable and organic Ruthenium-based dye, and five fluorescent alternatives for staining plant DNA. For prestaining and poststaining, N-719, GelRed, and SYBR Safe stained both DNA and PCR product bands as clearly as EtBr. SYBR Green I, methylene blue, and crystal violet were effective for poststaining only. The organic dye N-719 stained DNA bands as sensitively and as clearly as EtBr. Consequently, organic dyes can be used as alternatives to EtBr in plant biotechnology studies.