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Updated: Oct 30, 2025

Synthesis of Wavelength-shifting DNA Hybridization Probes by Using Photostable Cyanine Dyes
Published on: July 6, 2016
Two Intercalation Mechanisms of Oxazole Yellow Dimer (YOYO-1) into DNA
Karolina Kucharska1, Marta Pilz1, Krzysztof Bielec1
1Department of Soft Condensed Matter, Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract:
The oxazole yellow dye, YOYO-1 (a symmetric homodimer), is a commonly used molecule for staining DNA. We applied the brightness analysis to study the intercalation of YOYO-1 into the DNA. We distinguished two binding modes of the dye to dsDNA: mono-intercalation and bis-intercalation. Bis-intercalation consists of two consecutive mono-intercalation steps, characterised by two distinct equilibrium constants (with the average number of base pair per binding site equals 3.5): K1=3.36±0.43×107M-1 and K2=1.90±0.61×105M-1, respectively. Mono-intercalation dominates at high concentrations of YOYO-1. Bis-intercalation occurs at low concentrations.
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