Stains-all

Stains-all is a carbocyanine dye, which stains anionic proteins, nucleic acids, anionic polysaccharides and other anionic molecules.^[1][2]

Stains-all

Names
Preferred IUPAC name 1-Ethyl-2-[(1E,3Z)-3-(1-ethylnaphtho[1,2-d][1,3]thiazol-2(1H)-ylidene)-2-methylprop-1-en-1-yl]naphtho[1,2-d][1,3]thiazol-1-ium bromide
Other names DBTC; Carbocyanin DBTC
Identifiers
CAS Number	7423-31-6
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ECHA InfoCard	100.028.225
PubChem CID	6364602
UNII	4MB06G6N2I
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID80884385
SMILES CCN1/C(=C/C(=C/C2=[N+](C3=C(S2)C=CC4=CC=CC=C43)CC)/C)/SC5=C1C6=CC=CC=C6C=C5.[Br-]
Properties
Chemical formula	C30H27BrN2S2
Molar mass	559.58 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Properties

Stains-all is metachromatic and changes its color dependent on its contact to other molecules.^[3] The detection limit for phosphoproteins is below 1 ng after one hour of staining,^[4] for anionic polysaccharides between 10 and 500 ng.^[5][6] Highly anionic proteins are stained blue, proteoglycans purple and anionic proteins pink.^[7] RNA is stained blueish-purple with a detection limit of 90 ng and DNA is stained blue with a detection limit of 3 ng.^[8]

Stains-all is light sensitive, therefore the staining is performed in the absence of light and photographed immediately. Staining of proteins can be improved by a subsequent silver stain.^[7] The analogue Ethyl-Stains-all has similar properties as stains-all, with differences in solubility and staining properties.^[9]

Applications

Stains-all stains nucleic acids, anionic proteins, anionic polysaccharides such as alginate and pectinate,^[10] hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate,^[5] heparin, heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate.^[6] It is used in SDS-PAGE, agarose gel electrophoresis and histologic staining, e.g. staining of growth lines in bones.^[11]