Specifically, does ethidium bromide bind with equal efficiency to single stranded DNA as to double stranded? Is there a good resource for learning about the chemistry behind EB? THANKS!
You my check this article and the references therein.
The binding of ethidium bromide with DNA: interaction with single- and double-stranded structures. http://www.e-emm.or.kr/article/article_files/EMM035-06-08.pdf
Ethidium bromide is a DNA interchelator, inserting itself into the spaces between the base pairs of the double helix. Ethidium bromide possesses UV absorbance maxima at 300 and 360 nm. Additionally, it can absorb energy from nucleotides excited by absorbance of 260 nm radiation. Ethidium re-emits this energy as yellow/orange light centered at 590 nm. The fluorescence of ethidium bromide in aqueous solution is significantly lower than that of the interchelated dye.Ethidium bromide is a sensitive, easy stain for DNA. It yields low background and a detection limit of 1-5 ng /band. The major drawback to ethidium bromide is that it is a potent mutagen. It is important to note that ethidium staining is strongly enhanced by the double stranded structure of native DNA. Staining of denatured, ssDNA or RNA is relatively insensitive, requiring some 10 fold more nucleic acid for equivalent detection.
Reference:
https://www.nationaldiagnostics.com/electrophoresis/article/ethidium-bromide-staining
Ethidium bromide will bind double stand of DNA & single strand of RNA. EtBr is dangerous dye, avoid this dye better you can use alternative dye. Eg syber green dye.
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