Abstract
Live cell imaging using DNA-binding fluorescent probes is an essential molecular tool in various biological and biomedical fields. The major challenges in currently used DNA probes are to avoid UV light photo-excitation with high DNA selectivity and cell-permeability and are the availability of the cutting-edge imaging techniques such as a super-resolution microscopy. Herein we report new orange to red fluorogenic DNA probes having N-aryl pyrido cyanine (PC) moiety as a basic skeleton. Their DNA selectivity and cell-permeabilities are so high that organelle DNA as well as nuclear DNA can be clearly stained in various cell types and plant tissues with wash-free manner. PC dyes are also compatible with a stimulated emission depletion fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy (STED-FLIM) for super-resolution imaging as well as two-photon microscopy for deep tissue imaging, should release the utilization limitation of synthetic DNA probes.
Competing Interest Statement
The patent application, Cyanine compounds and fluorophores (JP 2019-14849) invented by Y.S. and K.U. was has been published.