EtBr
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Biology
| Stands for | Ethidium bromide |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
EtBr stands for Ethidium bromide, a biology abbreviation.
Fluorescent dye that slips between DNA base pairs and glows orange under ultraviolet light, long the standard stain for visualizing DNA bands in agarose gels. Its fluorescence increases about twentyfold when bound to DNA.
Example: Stain the agarose gel with EtBr for 15 minutes and image it on the UV transilluminator.
Usage notes
Because it binds DNA, EtBr is treated as a possible mutagen, and labs dispose of gels and buffers as hazardous waste. Safer alternatives such as SYBR Safe and GelRed are increasingly used. Ethidium was first developed in the 1950s as a drug against trypanosome infections in cattle.
Related abbreviations
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