TOTO 3 | CAS 166196-17-4

TOTO 3 is a high-affinity cyanine nucleic acid stain designed for fluorescence-based visualization and quantification of DNA and RNA. Its strong fluorescence enhancement upon binding to nucleic acids makes it widely used in nucleic acid analysis workflows where sensitive staining of target strands is required. TOTO 3's spectral behavior and robust nucleic-acid association also support microscopy and gel-related imaging formats for tracking DNA content and distribution.

1. Nucleic Acid Staining

TOTO 3 is used to stain DNA and RNA in fluorescence imaging experiments aimed at monitoring nucleic acid presence, abundance, and integrity. Researchers commonly employ it for labeling nucleic acid samples in microplate-based readouts and fluorescence microscopy studies, where dye-nucleic acid binding produces a bright signal relative to unbound background. This makes it a practical staining reagent for workflows that require clear visualization of nucleic acids in heterogeneous sample matrices.

2. Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging

TOTO 3 supports cellular and subcellular imaging experiments where nucleic acids are the primary contrast target. In microscopy workflows, users apply the stain to visualize DNA/RNA distribution patterns in fixed samples and to assess nucleic acid localization in experimental systems that benefit from strong nucleic-acid-dependent fluorescence. The dye's nucleic-acid binding behavior enables researchers to generate high-contrast images for studies involving chromatin organization, nuclear content, and nucleic-acid-rich structures.

3. Agarose Gel Documentation

TOTO 3 is frequently incorporated into gel electrophoresis staining and downstream fluorescence documentation to visualize nucleic acid bands and size-resolved fragments. In molecular biology and analytical chemistry laboratories, it is used as a fluorescent DNA/RNA stain for imaging gels with appropriate fluorescence imaging systems. This application is particularly valuable for rapid screening of nucleic acid samples and for comparing band patterns across experimental conditions using fluorescence readouts.

4. Nucleic Acid Quantification Assays

TOTO 3 is used in fluorescence-based quantification assays where nucleic-acid staining provides a proportional signal to nucleic acid amount. Researchers typically integrate the dye into assay development workflows for measuring DNA or RNA concentration in solution, including studies that require consistent fluorescence response upon nucleic acid binding. This approach is also used to evaluate nucleic acid recovery from purification steps and to compare relative nucleic acid yields across conditions.