A quencher-free molecular beacon design based on pyrene excimer fluorescence using pyrene-labeled UNA (unlocked nucleic acid)

Kasper K Karlsen; Anders Okholm; Jørgen Kjems; Jesper Wengel

doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2013.04.062

A quencher-free molecular beacon design based on pyrene excimer fluorescence using pyrene-labeled UNA (unlocked nucleic acid)

Bioorg Med Chem. 2013 Oct 15;21(20):6186-90. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.04.062. Epub 2013 May 1.

Authors

Kasper K Karlsen¹, Anders Okholm, Jørgen Kjems, Jesper Wengel

Affiliation

¹ Nucleic Acid Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5320 Odense M, Denmark.

PMID: 23693070
DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.04.062

Abstract

A quencher-free molecular beacon capable of generating pyrene excimer fluorescence has been constructed using strategically positioned pyrene-UNA monomers. Hybridization of a fully complementary RNA target was accompanied by a pyrene excimer emission increase of more than 900%, and detection of RNA in living cells was demonstrated.

Keywords: Cell imaging; Nucleic acid detection; Pyrene excimer; Quencher-free molecular beacon; Unlocked nucleic acid (UNA).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
Humans
Microscopy, Confocal / methods
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Nucleic Acids / analysis*
Oligonucleotide Probes / chemistry*
Pyrenes / chemistry*
RNA / analysis*
RNA / chemistry
Spectrometry, Fluorescence / methods

Substances

Fluorescent Dyes
Nucleic Acids
Oligonucleotide Probes
Pyrenes
RNA