Labeling Nuclear DNA with Hoechst 33342
Adapted from Imaging: A Laboratory Manual (ed. Yuste). CSHL Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA, 2010.INTRODUCTION
A number of fluorescent stains are available that label DNA and allow easy visualization of the nucleus in interphase cells and chromosomes in mitotic cells. One advantage of Hoechst 33342 is that it is membrane permeant and, thus, can stain live cells. Hoechst 33342 binds to adenine-thymine-rich regions of DNA in the minor groove. On binding to DNA, the fluorescence greatly increases. This protocol describes the use of Hoechst 33342 to label nuclear DNA of cells grown in culture.
