Nile Red nucleoside: design of a solvatofluorochromic nucleoside as an indicator of micropolarity around DNA

J Org Chem. 2006 Apr 28;71(9):3592-8. doi: 10.1021/jo060168o.

Abstract

The fluorophore, Nile Red, effectively works as a polarity-sensitive fluorescence probe. We have designed a new nucleoside modified by Nile Red for examining the change in the polarity of the microenvironment surrounding DNA. We synthesized a Nile Red nucleoside (1), formed by replacing nucleobases with Nile Red, through the coupling of a 2-hydroxylated Nile Red derivative and 1,2-dideoxyglycan. This nucleoside showed a high solvatofluorochromicity. The fluorescence of 1 incorporated into DNA was greatly shifted to shorter wavelength by the addition of beta-cyclodextrin. The photophysical function of the Nile Red nucleoside will be a good optical indicator for monitoring the change in the micropolarity properties at a specific site on target sequences with interaction between DNA and DNA-binding molecules.

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Nucleosides / chemical synthesis*
  • Oxazines / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • beta-Cyclodextrins / chemistry

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Nucleosides
  • Oxazines
  • beta-Cyclodextrins
  • DNA
  • betadex
  • nile red