Cytoplasmic and Nuclear Staining Dyes
DRAQ & CyTRAK Probes | Janelia Fluor® Probes
Nuclear (DRAQ5™ and DRAQ7™), cytoplasmic (DRAQ9™) and whole cell (CyTRAK Orange™) dyes are now available to facilitate cell analysis in flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and high content screening. These dyes offer the convenience of far-red fluorescence emission and are compatible with multiple fluorophores. Traditional dyes require a UV laser, which can induce DNA damage and cell death due to high-energy excitation. However, these far-red, photostable dyes have minimal photobleaching, are non-toxic in culture, and are ideal for long-term, live imaging studies with minimal spectral overlap with visible-range fluorophores.
- DRAQ5™ [NBP2-81125] Stains dsDNA in the cell nuclei (blue) to visualize cell division by fluorescence microscopy.
- DRAQ7™ [NBP2-81126] Far-red fluorescent dye labels the nucleus of U2OS cells alongside AlexaFluor 488 conjugated beta-tubulin (green).
- DRAQ9™ [NBP2-81128] Labels membranous and vesicular structures in the cytoplasm (green) while excluding the nuclei. This dye is useful for long-term cell tracking and cell painting for high content phenotypic screening.
- CyTRAK Orange™ [NBP2-81127] Counterstaining of fixed U2OS cells, shows differential nuclear and cytoplasmic staining. This dye is useful in high content, image-based screens.
Key Benefits of DRAQ™ and CyTRAK™ Dyes
DRAQ5™
DRAQ5™, a nuclear stain, can be used to identify the various phases of the cell cycle. This far-red, highly permeable dye is ideal for labeling dsDNA in live cells without the requirement for pretreatment with RNase. DRAQ5™ serves as an alternative to Hoechst 33342 and DAPI for nuclear staining and can be used in combination with GFP, FITC and DyLight®488.
DRAQ7™
DRAQ7™ represents a far-red, non-toxic alternative to Propidium Iodide (PI) and 7-AAD for evaluating cell viability over prolonged periods. DRAQ7™ will not stain intact, live cells. By binding only to dsDNA in cells with compromised cell membranes or dead cells, this dye can be combined with live cell dyes and used in combination with GFP, FITC or PE.
DRAQ9™
DRAQ9™ is a far-red, cell-permeant dye that stains the cytoplasmic membranous and vesicular structures but not the nucleus in live cells. This nontoxic cytoplasmic dye can be used in cell painting or live cell tracking for long-term, high-content phenotypic assays. DRAQ9™ can be used in combination with GFP and UV-excited probes.
CyTRAK Orange™
CyTRAK Orange™, an orange fluorescent dye, demonstrates differential staining of nuclear and cytosolic compartments and is used to assess cell-to-cell differences in cell location, cell perimeter, cell shape, and cell spread parameters. In flow cytometry, CyTRAK Orange™ can be used to identify and target distinct populations such as arrested/senescent cells from healthy cells. In multicolor assays, CyTRAK Orange™ is compatible with GFP, FITC, or Alexa Fluor® 488 using the 488 nm (blue laser) for co-excitation, as well as with the red fluorochromes APC, PE-Cy7, or APC-Cy7.
| Dye | Excitation/Emission Max (nm) | Structure | Application | Cell Staining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRAQ5™ | 646/697 | Nucleus |
|
Live and fixed cells or tissue |
| DRAQ7™ | 646/697 | Nucleus | Fixed, membrane compromised and dead cells | |
| DRAQ9™ | 655/697 | Cytoplasm |
|
Live or fixed cells |
| CyTRAK Orange™ | 510/610 | Nucleus (stronger intensity), Cytoplasm (weaker intensity) |
|
Live or fixed cells |
Exclusive Microtubule Probes Range
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Sold under license from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus.
DRAQ5, DRAQ7, DRAQ9 and CyTRAK Orange are registered trademarks of BioStatus Limited.
DyLight is a trademark of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Alexa Fluor® is a registered trademark of Molecular Probes, Inc, a Thermo Fisher Scientific Company.