title: Mithramycin and DIPI: a pair of fluorochromes specific for GC-and AT-rich DNA respectively.
abstract: The AT specificity of the fluorochromes DIPI and DAPI and the GC specificity of mithramycin are evidenced by observations in human, mouse, and bovine chromosomes. DIPI and DAPI produce a pattern similar to Hoechst 33258 in all three species, whereas mithramycin results in a reverse pattern. The AT-rich centromeric heterochromatin in mouse is brilliantly stained by DIPI or DAPI and remains nearly invisible after mithramycin staining. In the GC-rich centromeric heterochromatin of cattle the opposite behavior is observed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006570:Heterochromatin; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007621:Karyotyping; D051379:Mice; D008926:Plicamycin; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006570:Heterochromatin; D008926:Plicamycin