Dyes & Stains

SafeGel red stain is an ultra sensitive, extremely stable fluorescent dye designed to replace the toxic and possibly mutagenic ethidium bromide (EtBr) for staining dsDNA, ssDNA or RNA in agarose gels or polyacrylamide gels. SafeGel red stain is far more sensitive than EtBr without requiring a destaining step. SafeGel red stain is far less toxic and mutagenic compared to EtBr while both show virtually the same UV-spectra, so you can directly replace EtBr with SafeGel red stain without changing your existing imaging system. SafeGel can be used to stain dsDNA, ssDNA or RNA in agarose gel via either precast or post gel staining. SafeGel can also be used to stain dsDNA, ssDNA or RNA in polyacrylamide gel via post gel staining. SafeGel is also compatible with downstream DNA manipulations such as digestion with a restriction enzyme, Southern blotting techniques and clonings. A series of safety tests has confirmed that SafeGel is noncytotoxic, nonmutagenic and nonhazardous even at concentrations above the working concentrations used in gel staining. As a result, SafeGel can be safely disposed in regular trash, providing convenience and reducing cost in waste disposal. This fluorescent dye is supplied as a 10,000X solution in water. For customers who look for large pack size, we offer a cost-saving bulk pack size of 2mL, 5mL or 10mL (M3193.1010). Read in our blog why you should use Genaxxon's SafeGel now. For high-class agarose gels we offer the Genaxxon standard agarose LE > or our speciality agaroses for high resolution Tiny (M3046) > and Tiny HT (M3047) >.

SafeGel green stain is an ultra sensitive, extremely stable fluorescent dye designed to replace the toxic and possibly mutagenic ethidium bromide (EtBr) for staining dsDNA, ssDNA or RNA in agarose gels or polyacrylamide gels. SafeGel green stain is far more sensitive than EtBr without requiring a destaining step. SafeGel green stain is far less toxic and mutagenic compared to EtBr while both show virtually the same UV-spectra, so you can directly replace EtBr with SafeGel green stain without changing your existing imaging system. SafeGel can be used to stain dsDNA, ssDNA or RNA in agarose gel via either precast or post gel staining. SafeGel can also be used to stain dsDNA, ssDNA or RNA in polyacrylamide gel via post gel staining. SafeGel is also compatible with downstream DNA manipulations such as digestion with a restriction enzyme, Southern blotting techniques and clonings. A series of safety tests has confirmed that SafeGel is noncytotoxic, nonmutagenic and nonhazardous even at concentrations above the working concentrations used in gel staining. As a result, SafeGel can be safely disposed in regular trash, providing convenience and reducing cost in waste disposal. This fluorescent dye is supplied as a 10,000X solution in water. For customers who look for large pack size, we offer a cost-saving bulk pack size of 2mL, 5mL or 10mL (M3193.1010). For high-class agarose gels we offer the Genaxxon standard agarose LE > or our speciality agaroses for high resolution Tiny (M3046) > and Tiny HT (M3047) >.

(2,7-Diamino-10-ethyl-9-phenylphenanthridium bromide) Ethidium bromide is an intercalating agent for nucleic acids. It is widely used for staining of nucleic acids after electrophoresis on agarose or acrylamide gels and for fluorescent labeling on a cesium chloride gradient. As Ethidium bromide is a powerful mutagen and moderately toxic it is highly recommended to use gloves and the GENAXXON bioscience ready-to-use solutions. Reference: Lunn G. and Sansone E.B. (1987) Anal. Biochem., 162, 453 - Sambrock J., Fritsch & E.F. and Maniatis T (1989) Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Edition, Cold Spring Harbor, New York.

4',6-Diamino-2-phenylindole hydrochloride is a fluorescent dye binding selectively to the minor groove of double strand DNA (preferentially to AT rich DNA). Forms a stable complex which fluoresces approximately 20 times more than DAPI alone. DAPI, once added to tissue culture cells, is rapidly taken up into cellular DNA, yielding highly fluorescent nuclei and no detectable cytoplasmic fluorescence. When the cells are contaminated with Mycoplasmas, characteristic discrete fluorescent foci are readily detected over the cytoplasm and sometimes in intercellular spaces. Also used for flourescent chromosome staining or to stain brain stem cells. Preparation of solutions:Stock solution: Dissolve in distilled water to a final concentration of 1 to 5mg/mL. NOTE: Do not use any buffers. The stock solution is stable at -15°C to -25°C for about 12 months.Working solution: Dilute the stock solution with methanol to a final concentration of 1μg/mL. The working solution is stable at +2 to +8°C for about 6 months.

Fast Blue B is used for the determination of acetylcholinesterase activity. Acetylcholinesterase converts 1-naphthyl acetate to 1-naphthol, which reacts with fast blue B to form a purple-coloured diazonium dye. Similarly, Fast Blue B is also used for α- and β-glucosidase activity.Fast Blue B has been used in the acid phosphatase test in Clostridium perfringens. It has been used as a spraying agent in thin layer chromatography for the identification of separated components or for the determination of lipase activity. Synonyme: o-Dianisidine bis(diazotized) zinc double salt; Azoic Diazo No. 48; DBB; Diazo Blue B; Naphthanil Diazo Blue B.

Green DNA Dye is a sensitive fluorescent dye for detection of dsDNA in qPCR (real-time PCR) and other applications. Because Green DNA Dye has greater sensitivity for dsDNA, it is especially useful for assays where the presence of contaminating RNA or ssDNA might obscure results. With exceptionally low background fluorescence Green DNA Dye is ideal for use with laser scanners. In the detection of double-stranded DNA in native polyacrylamide gels it is also much more sensitive than silver staining. When Green DNA Dye is free in solution, it emits a very low fluorescent signal. As soon as the dye binds to the double-stranded DNA, the signal increases significantly (thousand fold), which makes the fluorescent signal of the dye directly proportional to the amount of amplified dsDNA. Green DNA Dye is delivered as 100-time solution in DMSO. The concentration of Green DNA Dye is traditionally given as a dilution factor where the 1X dilution is used for staining of DNA gels. For PCR, a 0.2X dilution is the starting dilution for optimization.  Our customers rely on Genaxxon's Green DNA Dye and use the dye for research into the regulation of tumor suppressor genes or vaccinations/disease patterns triggered by infections with enteroviruses, among other things. Preparation of a working solution for realtime PCR reactions:Green DNA Dye is suitable for real-time PCR with a suggested concentration for short targets of 0.2X (short targets: 50 – 400bp). Dilute delivered 100-time stock solution with nuclease-free PCR grade water by 1:10 (pre-dilution) and add 0.4µL of this solution to a 20µL final volume (PCR reaction). The 10-time working solution has to be kept at -20°C and has to be renewed every 2-3 weeks latest. Green DNA dye is a low toxic fluorescent nucleic acid dye as an alternative to ethidium bromide. Are you looking for more non-toxic dyes for your gel electrophoresis? Then try SafeGel red stain or SafeGel green stain - the cost-effective alternatives to EtBr. For qPCR we offer various qPCR Master Mixes > for your needs, with or without ROX, e.g., Green Master Mix High ROX >, Green Master Mix No ROX > or Probe Master Mix No ROX for qPCR >. Online form for your qPCR master mix test sample >

HighPure Propidium iodide (3,8-Diamino-5-[3-(diethylmethylammonio)propyl]-6-phenylphenanthridinium diiodide) for selective labeling of DNA in dead cells as cell membrane integrity excludes propidium iodide from staining viable and apoptotic cells. Propidium iodide may be used in tumor diagnosis flow cytometry to evaluate cell viability when used with other dyes that stain viable cells or cells that are in early apoptosis process. Can also be used for the study of micronuclear morphology of protozoa. Propidium iodide can be excited by light with wavelenghts in the visible range and bleaches slowly, having clear advantages over DAPI. CAUTION: Potent carcerogenic agent. Valet G. et al. (1987) Blut 49, 37-43. Fluorescent stain for nucleic acids. At a concentration of 1 µg/mL, probably all DNA binding sites are saturated.

Orange G (C.I. 16230) can be used as tracking dye for gel electrophoresis. To stop the electrophoretic mobility-shift assay, 5μL of a 10% glycerol / 0.01% orange G mixture is added to 20μL sample volume. The samples were then applied directly to a 5% polyacrylamide gel (40: 1). In agarose gel electrophoresis, Orange G is used as a tracking dye. Since Orange G "runs" at about 20bp to 40bp, it does not cover DNA bands in the range larger than 60bp.

Ponceau S is used for reversible staining proteins blotted on nitrocellulose membran and while running a TAU electrophoresis. The reversibility of the staining process is ideally suited for subsequent immunoblots (western blot) or other colour reactions as Ponceau S can be completely removed. Ponceau S is not stable for long time, thus proteins and protein markers should be marked with a pencil. For staining the membrane is incubated in a 0.1% Ponceau S solution (w/v) in 5% acetic acid for 5 - 10 minutes. Destaining is done by incubating the stained membrane in 5% acetic acid for 15 minutes.

Ponceau S is used for reversible staining proteins blotted on nitrocellulose or PVDF membrans and while running a TAU electrophoresis. The reversibility of the staining process is ideally suited for subsequent immunoblots (western blot) or other colour reactions as Ponceau S can be completely removed. Ponceau S is not stable for long time, thus proteins and protein markers should be marked with a pencil. For staining the membrane (nitrocellulose or PVDF) is incubated in a 0.1% - 0.5% Ponceau S solution in 5% acetic acid (alternatively in 3% trichloracetic acid) for 5 - 10 minutes. Destaining is done by incubating the stained membrane in 5% acetic acid for 15 minutes. Our Ponceau S solution is offered as 0.1% Ponceau S (w/v) in 5% acetic acid (v/v).

ROX is used as passive reference dye to compensate for non-PCR related well to well variations in the fluorescence. Variations in fluorescence can occur e.g. due to well to well variation in light intensity, which depends on the optical construction of the PCR machine or due to pipetting variations. The ROX fluorescence does not change during the course of the PCR reaction but provide a stable baseline to which samples are normalized. The excitation and emission of the reference dye are 584nm and 612nm, respectively.The ROX concentration to be used depends on the Real Time PCR instrument or, more precisely, on the filter available. On earlier Real Time PCR machines there was no filter matching precisely to the ROX fluorescence. Therefore, high ROX concentrations are needed with these machines. Some newer machines do not need any internal standard to correct for light intensity. Nevertheless, an internal standard might still be useful to correct for pipetting variations.This dye has been qualified for use on instruments like the ABI PRISM® 7700, One-Step System, RotorGene and many others.Please consult the user manual of the real time PCR instrument with regard to appropriate levels of ROX. Ready to use qPCR Master Mixes with High ROX (500nM) >, Low ROX (50nM) > or without ROX > are also available from Genaxxon.

Xylene cyanol is used in gel electrophoresis as a "tracking" dye to control electrophoresis. For this purpose it is added to the DNA sample as sample buffer (6-fold). In total, the molecule is negatively charged and, due to this net negative charge, migrates in the same direction as DNA, so that the dye can be used to monitor the electrophoresis progress. The speed of migration varies with the gel composition. In an agarose gel, at one percent agarose concentration, it runs like DNA at 4000 to 5000 bp, and at two percent concentration like 800 bp.[1] Xylene cyanol, due to its four additional methyl groups and thus increased hydrophobicity, moves more slowly than the also used in electrophoresis "tracking dye" Bromophenol blue and thus with larger DNA fragments.[2] References:1. Lela Buckingham: Molecular Diagnostics. F.A. Davis, 2011, ISBN 978-0-803-62975-2. S. 98. 2. Budin Michov: Elektrophorese Theorie und Praxis. Walter de Gruyter, 1996, ISBN 978-3-11-081942-7, S. 339