Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
31332 Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews 2012 12 Pages PDF
Abstract

The understanding of the regulation of the mechanisms via which genomic information dictates cellular behaviors has become a great challenge of the postgenomic era. Tools that allow sensitive, quantitative, and real-time detection of specific transcripts, as well as the study of spatiotemporal gene regulation in living cells, are being developed. In this article, we review recent advances in nucleic acid detection using exciton-controlled hybridization-sensitive fluorescent oligonucleotide (ECHO) probe technologies. In ECHO probes, a hybridization-dependent fluorescent nucleotide regulated by the H-aggregation of thiazole orange organic dyes (D514) is incorporated into specific sequence contexts and serves as fluorescent detection readout for target nucleic acids. Multicolor detection and auxiliary functional modules have been built into ECHO probes to accommodate a broad range of biological applications.

► Excitonic interaction suppresses fluorescence emission of thiazole orange homodimers. ► Suppression release in recognition of target nucleic acids robustly turns on multicolor fluorescence. ► Versatile functional modules allow a broad range of applications.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemical Engineering Bioengineering
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