Fluorinated molecular beacons as functional DNA nanomolecules for cellular imaging

Abstract

Molecular beacons (MBs) are simple, but practical, fluorescent nanoprobes widely used to detect small molecules, nucleic acids and proteins.

A novel two-photon ratiometric fluorescent probe for imaging and sensing of BACE1 in different regions of AD mouse brain

“…Fluorescence sensors have attracted intense attention, since they provide high sensitivity with non-invasive features. [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Up to now, a number of elegant uorescent probes have been developed for imaging of BACE1. [22][23][24][25][26] Unfortunately, all of them are one-photon uorescent probes using excitation wavelengths from the UV to visible range.…”

Rapid Electron Transfer of Stacked Heterodimers of Perylene Diimide Derivatives in a DNA Duplex

“…Functional nucleic acids with the ability to generate an emission based on a binding event in the presence of target molecules have been designed and characterized . Molecular beacons (MBs) are DNA hairpin structures with a pair of fluorophore and quencher molecules, which are designed to convert recognition events into a fluorescence signal through conformational changes in the DNA hairpin from the closed to open form, and are utilized in DNA/RNA targeting applications, intracellular mRNA imaging, real‐time PCR, and fluorescence biosensors . To improve the sensitivity and specificity of the MBs to target molecules, many approaches have been applied .…”

“…As for the quenching mechanism, temporal separation between the fluorophore and quencher by end‐fraying, and a change in the relative orientation of these molecules can cause less quenching; this results in an increased background emission. To overcome these negative influences, in‐stem MBs, in which the fluorophore and quencher molecules were embedded in a stem region to limit movement of the molecules and force the molecules close together, was developed . The improvement of the signal enhancement from a closed to an open form, through the appropriate use of highly emissive fluorophores and efficient quencher molecules, is essential and there is still room for improving the intrinsic fluorescence response.…”

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Molecular beacons (MBs) are DNA hairpin structures with a pair of fluorophore and quencher molecules, which are designed to convertr ecognition events into af luorescences ignal through conformational changesi nt he DNA hairpin from the closed to open form, and are utilized in DNA/RNA targeting applications, intracellularm RNA imaging, real-time PCR, and fluorescenceb iosensors. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] To improve thes ensitivitya nd specificity of the MBs to target molecules, many approaches have been applied. [19][20][21] The performance of the MBs is determinedb ys everal factors, such as specificity of the target binding of al oop region of DNA and fluorescence signal changes upon the binding event.…”

“…To overcome these negative influences,i n-stem MBs, in which the fluorophore and quencherm olecules weree mbedded in as tem regiont ol imit movement of the molecules and force the moleculesc lose together, was developed. [17,[23][24][25][26][27] The improvement of the signale nhancement from ac losed to an open form, through the appropriate use of highly emissive fluorophores and efficient quencher molecules, is essential and there is still room for improving the intrinsic fluorescenceresponse.…”