Just a small point - is it not the case that acridine orange also
     binds to RNA and when it does so, it emits red light around 650?
     This has been my experience and I was a bit concerned that this may
     not be distinguishable from chlorophyll fluorescence? By the way,
     are these samples live or fixed? I ask this because if they are
     fixed or their integrity compromised, you have many more options
     with tthe DNA stain. There are also several choices for
     mitochondrial probes including the different coloured MitoTrackers
     from Molecular Probes, Rhod123 etc.


     Anna Smmallcombe PhD
     Senior Applications Specialist
     Bio-Rad Microscopy Division


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: DNA & Chloroplasts
Author:  Confocal Microscopy List <[log in to unmask]> at
Internet
Date:    18-1-2000 10:47 am


I have used ethidium bromide, propidium iodide and acridine orange to
label the chromosomes in symbiotic dinoglagellates and used the confocal
to visualize them.  (My experience was that acridine orange worked the
best.)  These dyes are great for the confocal because they are excited
and emit in the same range as FITC. I didn't have any problem with the
chloroplats; the filters are very good at blocking out the
autofluorescence.

I'm sure that Molecular Probes, has some of these, but I think you may
also find them in a SIGMA catalog.

Tim Wakefield
Dept. of Biological Sciences
101 Cary Hall
Auburn University, AL 36849


On Tue, 18 Jan 2000, sabine berg wrote:

> Hi there,
> Does anyone have experience with try to image chloroplasts and DNA at the
> same time? Unfortunately we can not use DAPI on our confocal as we do not
> have the right laser. And how about differentiating non-photosynthetic
> chloroplasts and mitochondria?
> Thanks for any advice
> Sabine
>
>
>
> -----------------------
> Sabine Berg
> Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research (IGER)
> Cell Biology Department
> Plas Gogerddan
> Aberystwyth
> SY23 3EB
> UK
>
> e-mail:[log in to unmask]
>