Locating of nucleic acid intercalators in yeast cells by image analysis combined fluorescence microscopy.

Intracellular distribution in the intact (not fixed) Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells of the nucleic acid intercalators (NAI) was studied using fluorescence microscopy combined with computer image analysis (ImageJ software, NIH, USA). Three NAI-the anthracycline anticancer drug doxorubicin (DR) along with the nucleic acid dyes ethidium (E) and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-were used. Staining pattern and ImageJ quantitative analysis data provided evidence that all three NAI were located in the nuclei and in the mitochondria.