Ethidium Bromide (EthBr) is a potent mutagen that is commonly used as fluorescent dye used in DNA research in molecular biology labs. EthBr intercalates into DNA, inserting itself between bases, which affects DNA biological processes like replication and transcription. Lamda Biotech offers a safer alternative to the toxic EthBr. DNA SafeStain is a new and safe nucleic acid stain for the visualization of double-stranded DNA, single-stranded DNA and RNA in agarose or polyacrylamide gels.

DNA SafeStain is non-carcinogenic by the Ames test. The results are negative in both the mouse marrow chromophilous erthrocyte micronucleus and mouse spermary spermatocyte chromosomal aberration tests. This makes DNA SafeStain the safest DNA stain by far.

DNA SafeStain emits green fluorescence when bound to DNA. It has two excitation wavelength peaks when bound to nucleic acid, at 290nm and 490nm. The emission wavelength for the DNA SafeStain is 530nm.