The Art of Visualizing Fluorophores

This book describes the construction of an inexpensive and functional visible light transilluminator (blue) that enables the use of safer DNA stains and eliminates the use of ultraviolet light. Visible light transilluminators come to market at an unaffordable for most beginning researchers and high schools. This led me to try to build my own transilluminator with components available in the ordinary market. The results obtained with this blue transilluminator are extremely satisfactory, showing that the equipment meets the expected objectives and can therefore be used for DNA visualization after electrophoresis in agarose gel, real-time electrophoresis, DNA quantification with SYBR Safe™, and endpoint PCR analysis with hydrolysis probes. I also describe its construction so that others can do the same. However, the assistance of a store specializing in the manufacture of on-demand acrylic parts can be excused.