Fluorescent And Self-Assembled Helical Chromophore Arrays Based On Dna Architecture

For imaging purposes in chemical biology as well as in molecular diagnostics there is an increasing need for fluorescent nucleic acid probes that are able to sense genetic sequences and variations without the application of enzymes. The incorporation of organic fluorophores either as DNA base modifications or as DNA base substitutions represents a powerful and versatile method for such new fluorescent DNA assays. Moreover, dual or multiple labeling of oligonucleotides using several adjacent modified DNA bases or base substitutions yield astonishing optical properties, like fluorescence maximum shifts, enhancements and modulations, that are sensitive to DNA hybridization and to the presensce of single base mismatches in the complementary oligonucleotides.