Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Labeling DNA Probes

Labeling DNA Probes

DNA probes are fragments of DNA labeled with a reporter tag to enable their detection or purification. The resulting labeled DNA probes can then hybridize to target nucleic acid sequences through complementary base-pairing, and may be used to recover or identify these regions.
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Energetic scaling mechanisms underlying family growth variation in Ruditapes decussatus.

Marine environmental research·2026

Same author

Spectral Phasor Analysis for Hyperspectral Imaging to Elucidate Acridine Orange Photophysics in Cells.

Microscopy research and technique·2026

Same author

Mechanical conditions preventing live cell extrusion during primary neurulation in amniotes.

Cells & development·2025

Same author

The Smarce1 subunit of the BAF complex performs distinct, stage-specific functions during zebrafish retinal development.

Neuroscience·2025

Same author

Radiobiological effect of delivery time in treatments of multiple brain metastases with robotic radiosurgery.

Physica medica : PM : an international journal devoted to the applications of physics to medicine and biology : official journal of the Italian Association of Biomedical Physics (AIFB)·2025

Same author

Editorial Article for the Virtual Special Issue: Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Uruguayan Society for Neuroscience: Emergent topics from South America to global neuroscience.

Neuroscience·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 1, 2026

Application of the DNA-Specific Stain Methyl Green in the Fluorescent Labeling of Embryos

Application of the DNA-Specific Stain Methyl Green in the Fluorescent Labeling of Embryos

Published on: May 2, 2015

A fast, low cost, and highly efficient fluorescent DNA labeling method using methyl green.

Daniel Prieto¹, Gonzalo Aparicio, Pablo E Morande

¹Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Uruguay, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay.

Histochemistry and Cell Biology

|March 28, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Methyl green (MG) offers a simple, inexpensive, and robust method for red-emitting DNA labeling in cells and gels. This stain is effective for microscopy and flow cytometry, serving as a viable alternative to existing red DNA stains.

More Related Videos

Method for Labeling Transcripts in Individual Escherichia coli Cells for Single-molecule Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Experiments

Method for Labeling Transcripts in Individual Escherichia coli Cells for Single-molecule Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Experiments

Published on: December 21, 2017

Specific Labeling of Mitochondrial Nucleoids for Time-lapse Structured Illumination Microscopy

Specific Labeling of Mitochondrial Nucleoids for Time-lapse Structured Illumination Microscopy

Published on: June 4, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Application of the DNA-Specific Stain Methyl Green in the Fluorescent Labeling of Embryos

Application of the DNA-Specific Stain Methyl Green in the Fluorescent Labeling of Embryos

Published on: May 2, 2015

Method for Labeling Transcripts in Individual Escherichia coli Cells for Single-molecule Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Experiments

Method for Labeling Transcripts in Individual Escherichia coli Cells for Single-molecule Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Experiments

Published on: December 21, 2017

Specific Labeling of Mitochondrial Nucleoids for Time-lapse Structured Illumination Microscopy

Specific Labeling of Mitochondrial Nucleoids for Time-lapse Structured Illumination Microscopy

Published on: June 4, 2020

Area of Science:

Biotechnology
Molecular Biology
Cell Biology

Background:

Fluorescence microscopy requires diverse fluorophores for multi-labeling applications.
DNA labeling is crucial for studying nuclear structure, gel staining, and as a counterstain in various assays.
A scarcity of reliable red to far-red emitting DNA stains limits current research.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce a simple, cost-effective, and robust method for DNA labeling using methyl green (MG).
To evaluate MG's spectral properties, photobleaching resistance, and compatibility with other stains.
To demonstrate MG's utility in electrophoretic gels and as a viability stain in microscopy and flow cytometry.

Main Methods:

Utilized methyl green (MG) at low concentrations and physiological pH for DNA labeling.
Characterized MG's excitation/emission spectra and photobleaching resistance.
Applied MG for DNA staining in cells, electrophoretic gels, and as a viability indicator in microscopy and flow cytometry.

Main Results:

MG exhibits narrow excitation (633 nm) and emission (677 nm) spectra with high photobleaching resistance.
MG effectively labels DNA in cells and gels, distinguishing it from RNA, similar to ethidium bromide.
MG fluorescence correlates well with ethidium bromide for viability measurements via microscopy and flow cytometry.

Conclusions:

Methyl green (MG) provides a convenient and effective red-emitting DNA stain for various biological applications.
MG is compatible with multiplexing and serves as a reliable viability stain.
MG presents a valuable alternative to existing red DNA stains in molecular and cell biology research.