The use of fluorescent probes is one of the most powerful techniques for gaining spatial and temporal knowledge of dynamic events within living cells. Localized increases in the signal from cytosolic fluorescent protein constructs, for example, are frequently used as evidence for translocation of proteins to specific sites within the cell. However, differences in optical and geometrical propert...

Oligonucleotide microarrays allow the production of complex custom oligonucleotide libraries for nucleic acid detection-based applications such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We have developed a PCR-free method to make single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) fluorescent probes through an intermediate RNA library. A double-stranded oligonucleotide library is amplified by transcription to crea...

Fluorescent DNA-Ag NCs are demonstrated as novel, label-free, and turn-on fluorescence probes for Cu(2+) ions sensors. We also used this novel fluorescent probe to determine Cu(2+) ions in Montana soil (SRM 2710) and pond water.

The novel synthesis of a dual-modality, pentamethine cyanine (Cy5) fluorescent, 18F positron emission tomography (PET) imaging probe is reported. The probe shows a large extinction coefficient and large quantum yield in the biologically transparent, near-infrared window (650-900 nm) for in vivo fluorescent imaging. This fluorophore bears the isotope, 18F, giving a 18F-PET/near-infrared fluoresc...

Localization and staining features of the oxidant-sensitive fluorescent probe 2'7'-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH) were evaluated in isolated cardiac muscle cells. Cardiomyocytes rapidly accumulated the probe and retained steady levels of DCFH and its highly fluorescent oxidized product dichlorofluorescein (DCF) in probe-free medium for 1.5 h. DCF was associated with mitochondria and was released by ...

Proteome misfolding and/or aggregation, caused by a thermal perturbation or a related stress, transiently challenges the cellular protein homeostasis (proteostasis) network capacity of cells by consuming chaperone/chaperonin pathway and degradation pathway capacity. Developing protein client-based probes to quantify the cellular proteostasis network capacity in real time is highly desirable. He...

Small molecule-based fluorescent probes have been used for real-time visualization of live cells and tracking of various cellular events with minimal perturbation on the cells being investigated. Given the wide utility of the (histidine)6-Ni(2+)-nitrilotriacetate (Ni-NTA) system in protein purification, there is significant interest in fluorescent Ni(2+)-NTA-based probes. Unfortunately, previou...

Carbodiimides (RN)2C were reductively coupled with Li powder into [{Li(py)2}2(mu-C2N4R4)] (R = p-tolyl) (1) and [{Li(THF)}2(mu-C2N4R4)] (R = Cy) (2), and 2 reacted with UCl4 to give [Li(py)4]2[{UCl4(py)}2(mu-C2N4R4)] (R = Cy) (3); the crystal structures of 1 and 3 x 2py, the first oxalamidino compounds of an alkali metal and of a 5f-element, have been determined.

ArcLight, a genetically encoded fluorescent protein voltage probe with a large ΔF/ΔV, is a fusion between the voltage sensing domain of the Ciona instestinalis voltage sensitive phosphatase and super ecliptic pHluorin carrying a single mutation (A227D in the fluorescent protein). Without this mutation the probe produces only a very small change in fluorescence in response to voltage deflections...

A new fluorescent probe with a unique sequential dual FRET process was designed and constructed. This probe showed distinguished responses towards Fe(3+) and Hg(2+), making it an ideal candidate for multiple logic operations at the molecular level.