Acridine Orange Stain (CAS 494-38-2)

Acridine Orange Stain, with the CAS number 494-38-2, is a vital dye often utilized in the field of biological and chemical research primarily for its ability to intercalate into nucleic acids. This property makes it exceptionally useful for differentiating between cellular components, particularly nucleic acids, thereby facilitating detailed cellular analysis under fluorescence microscopy. The chemical structure of Acridine Orange allows it to insert itself between the stacked base pairs of DNA and RNA, which modifies the fluorescent properties of the dye depending on the type of nucleic acid it associates with. When bound to double-stranded DNA, it fluoresces green, whereas it emits red fluorescence when associated with single-stranded RNA or denatured DNA. This dual-fluorescence characteristic enables researchers to perform complex staining protocols where the simultaneous visualization of DNA, RNA, and other cell structures is required. In the realm of research, Acridine Orange has been extensively employed in cytogenetics for chromosome analyses and in molecular biology for gene expression studies. Furthermore, its application extends into environmental science where it is used to assess microbial contamination and cell viability in various samples, demonstrating its versatility and critical role in advancing scientific understanding across multiple disciplines.