Analysis of DAPI and SYBR Green I as Alternatives to Ethidium Bromide for Nucleic Acid Staining in Agarose Gel Electrophoresis

DNA electrophoresis and staining is a common procedure in biochemistry laboratories, but the use of ethidium bromide (EB) for DNA detection is worrisome as EB is a mutagen and probable carcinogen. Five alternative stains were evaluated for DNA detection, safety, cost, and ease of use: BlueView, methylene blue, Carolina Blu, DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride:hydrate), and SYBR Green I. BlueView, Carolina Blu, and methylene blue are not sensitive enough to detect the microgram amounts of DNA used in many procedures. However, DAPI and SYBR Green I are good staining alternatives to ethidium bromide in that they have similar sensitivity and are both easy to use. SYBR Green I is more expensive than EB or DAPI; however, the limited safety data suggest that SYBR Green I is the safest stain.