Chemical Name: 3,6-Bis(dimethylamino)acridine, hydrochloride, aqueous solution
Product: 3.3 mM AO aqueous solution
(1 mg AO per 1 ml water)
Appearance: orange or yellow solution
MW: 301.81, C17H20ClN3
Storage Condition : -20ºC, protect from light
Shipping Condition : ambient temperature
Product Description
Acridine orange (AO) forms a complex with
double-stranded DNA to emit green fluorescence (Fig. 1). AO also forms a
complex with singlestranded DNA or RNA to emit red fluorescence. One
molecule of AO intercalates with three base pairs of double-stranded DNA
and emits green fluorescence with the maximum wavelength at 526 nm
(excitation 502 nm). One molecule of AO can also interact with one
phosphate group of single-stranded DNA or RNA to form an aggregated, or
stacked, structure that emits red fluorescence with the maximum
wavelength at 650 nm (excitation 460 nm). Therefore, AO is utilized for
the detection of both double-stranded DNA and single-stranded DNA or
RNA. It enables simultaneous determination of DNA and RNA with argon
laser excitation or flow cytometry.
Fig. 1 Cell staining mechanism
Staining Procedure
- Prepare 10-50 μM AO solution with PBS or an appropriate buffer.a)
- Add AO solution with 1/10 of the volume of cell culture medium to the cell culture.b)
- Incubate the cell at 37ºC for 10-20 min.
- Wash cells twice with PBS or an appropriate buffer.
- Observe the cells under a fluorescence microscope with 500 nm excitation and 530 nm emission filters.
a) Since AO may be carcinogenic, extreme care is necessary during handling.
b) You may replace the culture medium with 1/10 concentration of AO buffer solution.
References
1. I. W. Taylor, et al., An Evaluation of
DNA Fluochromes, Staining Techniques, and Analysis for Flow Cytometry.
I. Unperturebed Cellpopulations. J Histochem Cytochem. 1980;28:1224-1232.
2.
N. Miyoshi, et al., Fluorescence Lifetime of Acridine Orange in Sodiu
Dodecyl Sulfate Premicellar Solutions. Photochem Photobiol. 1988;47:685-688.
3. A. K. El-Naggar, et al., Single- and Double-stranded RNA Measurements by Flow Cytometry in Solid Neoplasms. Cytometry. 1991;12:330-335.
4.
Y. Miyakoshi, et al., The Frequencies of Micronuclei Induced by
Cisplatin in Newborn Rat Astrocytes Are Increased by 50-Hz, 7.5- and
10-mT Electromagnetic Fields. Environ Health and Prev Med. 2005;10:138-143.
Fig. 2 Cell staining with AO Cell type: HeLa