YOYO 1 | CAS 143413-85-8

YOYO 1 is a cyanine nucleic acid stain designed for fluorescence-based visualization and quantification of DNA and RNA in molecular biology workflows. Its strong nucleic-acid affinity and fluorescence enhancement upon binding make it widely used for gel staining, microscopy, and nucleic acid analysis where sensitive DNA/RNA contrast is required. YOYO 1 is typically excited in the blue range and monitored in the green channel, enabling straightforward readout on common fluorescence imaging and electrophoresis systems.

1. DNA Gel Staining

YOYO 1 is frequently used to stain agarose or polyacrylamide gels for rapid visualization of DNA bands after electrophoresis. Researchers in molecular biology and genomics labs apply the dye to assess DNA fragment distribution, confirm successful amplification or restriction digestion, and compare relative nucleic acid abundance across samples. The dye's nucleic-acid binding and fluorescence turn-on behavior on DNA provide bright band contrast that is compatible with standard gel documentation systems equipped for blue excitation/green emission detection.

2. Fluorescence Microscopy DNA Imaging

YOYO 1 is applied in fluorescence microscopy to visualize nucleic acids in fixed samples and in nucleic-acid-containing experimental preparations, including stained DNA in microscopy chambers and labeled nucleic acid structures used in chemical biology studies. Imaging teams use YOYO 1 to generate high-contrast fluorescent signals that map DNA localization in relation to experimental substrates, such as microfabricated wells, patterned surfaces, or biomaterials used for nucleic-acid delivery research. The dye's compatibility with common fluorescence filter sets for blue-to-green imaging supports routine cellular and materials microscopy workflows where nucleic-acid visualization is the primary readout.

3. Nucleic Acid Quantification Assays

YOYO 1 is commonly used as a fluorescence reporter for nucleic acid quantification in solution, including DNA concentration estimation and nucleic-acid normalization steps in assay development. In biochemical and assay development settings, the dye's fluorescence response upon binding to nucleic acids enables quantitative measurements using plate readers and spectrofluorimeters that support blue excitation and green emission. This usage is especially common when researchers need a fast, imaging-compatible staining chemistry to monitor DNA/RNA levels during workflows such as library preparation optimization, nucleic-acid purification evaluation, or assay buffer screening.

4. Flow Cytometry DNA Content Analysis

YOYO 1 is used in fluorescence-based cytometry workflows for nucleic-acid staining readouts, including DNA content assessment in prepared cell samples and nucleated particle analysis where DNA-associated fluorescence is the primary parameter. Flow cytometry users select YOYO 1 when they want a DNA-binding fluorescent stain that can be excited with standard blue laser lines and detected in green fluorescence channels. This enables gating strategies based on nucleic-acid-associated fluorescence intensity for sample characterization and for comparing relative DNA content across experimental conditions in research settings.