DAPI

DAPI

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Biotium products are distributed only in Singapore and Thailand.

DAPI is a popular blue fluorescent DNA dye. The dye binds to the minor groove of dsDNA with approximately 20-fold fluorescence enhancement.

SIZE	CATALOG #	PRICE
10 mg	#40011	$87
10 mg(Dilactate)	#40009	$92
1 mL(10mg/mL)	#40043	$80

PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES

CAS number	28718-90-3
Cellular localization	Nucleus
For live or fixed cells	For fixed cells, For live/intact cells
Assay type/options	DNA content/cell cycle (flow cytometry), Long term staining (24-72h), No-wash staining, Real-time imaging
Cell permeability	Membrane permeant
Apoptosis/viability marker	All cell stain
Colors	Blue
Excitation/Emission	358/461 nm (with DNA)
Storage Conditions	Store at 2 to 8 °C, Protect from light

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

DAPI (4′,6-Diamidino-2-Phenylindole, dihydrochloride) is a popular blue DNA dye that is used as a nuclear counterstain in fluorescence microscopy, chromosome staining, and flow cytometry. The dye binds to the minor groove of dsDNA with approximately 20-fold fluorescence enhancement, with higher affinity for A-T rich regions.

Classic blue nuclear counterstain for fixed cells
Available as a powder or solution
Can be used at higher concentrations to stain live cells
λ_Ex/λ_Em (with DNA) = 358/461 nm
Store at 4°C and protect from light, especially in solution

DAPI as a dilactate powder is more water soluble than the dihydrochloride salt, and therefore a better choice for preparing stock solutions in water. If mounting media will be used, we also offer anti-fade mounting media containing DAPI, in both hardset and wetset formulations. Having trouble with your experiments? See our section on troubleshooting tips for fluorescent staining.

Product	Catalog Number	MW	Unit Size	Format
DAPI Powder (dilactate)	40009	457.49	10 mg	Yellow solid
DAPI Powder (dihydrochloride)	40011	350.25	10 mg	Yellow solid
DAPI Solution (dihydrochloride)	40043	457.49	1 mL (10 mg/mL in water)	Yellow solution

Find the Right Nuclear Stain for Your Application

DAPI can be used to stain mammalian cells as well as gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In yeast, the staining is weak and not nuclear. DAPI is less membrane permeant than Hoechst, and is typically used to stain fixed cells. On the other hand, Hoechst dyes are membrane-permeant and more often used for live or fixed cell staining and cell cycle analysis. While Hoechst and DAPI show less cytotoxicity than intercalating DNA dyes, they bind DNA in living cells and are potentially hazardous. DAPI and Hoechst undergo photoconversion by UV excitation to form green fluorescent dyes, which can lead to artifacts in multi-color imaging. See our Tech Tip Avoiding Artifacts from UV Photoconversion of DAPI and Hoechst for more information.

Biotium offers other nuclear stains with beneficial properties such as other colors and dead-cell specific stains. See our Cellular Stains Selection Guide and Cellular Stains Table for more information. Learn more about DAPI and our novel nuclear stains.