Fluorogenic dendrons with multiple donor chromophores as bright genetically targeted and activated probes

C Szent-Gyorgyi, BF Schmidt… - Journal of the …, 2010 - ACS Publications
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2010ACS Publications
We have developed a class of dendron-based fluorogenic dyes (termed dyedrons)
comprised of multiple cyanine (Cy3) donors coupled to a single malachite green (MG)
acceptor that fluoresce only when the MG is noncovalently but specifically bound to a
cognate single chain antibody (scFv). These cell-impermeant dyedrons exploit efficient
intramolecular energy transfer from Cy3 donors to stoichiometrically amplify the
fluorescence of MG chromophores that are activated by binding to the scFv. These …
We have developed a class of dendron-based fluorogenic dyes (termed dyedrons) comprised of multiple cyanine (Cy3) donors coupled to a single malachite green (MG) acceptor that fluoresce only when the MG is noncovalently but specifically bound to a cognate single chain antibody (scFv). These cell-impermeant dyedrons exploit efficient intramolecular energy transfer from Cy3 donors to stoichiometrically amplify the fluorescence of MG chromophores that are activated by binding to the scFv. These chromophore enhancements, coupled with our optimized scFv, can significantly increase fluorescence emission generated by the dyedron/scFv complex to brightness levels several-fold greater than that for single fluorescent proteins and targeted small molecule fluorophores. Efficient intramolecular quenching of free dyedrons enables sensitive homogeneous (no wash) detection under typical tissue culture conditions, with undetectable nonspecific activation.
ACS Publications