Filtern
Dokumenttyp
Sprache
- Englisch (2)
Referierte Publikation
- ja (2)
Schlagworte
- Fluorescence spectroscopy (2)
- DNA nanotechnology (1)
- DNA origami (1)
- Dyes (1)
- FRET (1)
- G-quadruplexes (1)
- Nanostructures (1)
- Self-assembly (1)
- Sensing (1)
- Solvent effect (1)
DNA origami nanostructures are a versatile tool that can be used to arrange functionalities with high local control to study molecular processes at a single-molecule level. Here, we demonstrate that DNA origami substrates can be used to suppress the formation of specific guanine (G) quadruplex structures from telomeric DNA. The folding of telomeres into G-quadruplex structures in the presence of monovalent cations (e.g. Na+ and K+) is currently used for the detection of K+ ions, however, with insufficient selectivity towards Na+. By means of FRET between two suitable dyes attached to the 3'- and 5'-ends of telomeric DNA we demonstrate that the formation of G-quadruplexes on DNA origami templates in the presence of sodium ions is suppressed due to steric hindrance. Hence, telomeric DNA attached to DNA origami structures represents a highly sensitive and selective detection tool for potassium ions even in the presence of high concentrations of sodium ions.
New V-shaped non-centrosymmetric dyes, possessing a strongly electron-deficient azacyanine core, have been synthesized based on a straightforward two-step approach. The key step in this synthesis involves palladium-catalysed cross-coupling of dibromo-N,N'-methylene-2,2'-azapyridinocyanines with arylacetylenes. The resulting strongly polarized π-expanded heterocycles exhibit green to orange fluorescence and they strongly respond to changes in solvent polarity. We demonstrate that differently electron-donating peripheral groups have a significant influence on the internal charge transfer, hence on the solvent effect and fluorescence quantum yield. TD-DFT calculations confirm that, in contrast to the previously studied bis(styryl)azacyanines, the proximity of S1 and T2 states calculated for compounds bearing two 4-N,N-dimethylaminophenylethynyl moieties establishes good conditions for efficient intersystem crossing and is responsible for its low fluorescence quantum yield. Non-linear properties have also been determined for new azacyanines and the results show that depending on peripheral groups, the synthesized dyes exhibit small to large two-photon absorption cross sections reaching 4000 GM.