Summary
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.
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Schnedl, W., Breitenbach, M., Mikelsaar, A.V. et al. Mithramycin and DIPI: A pair of fluorochromes specific for GC- and AT-rich DNA respectively. Hum Genet 36, 299–305 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446280
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446280