Phenylethynylpyrene-labeled oligonucleotide probes for excimer fluorescence SNP analysis of 23S rRNA gene in clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori strains

Recent Advances in Nucleic Acid Targeting Probes and Supramolecular Constructs Based on Pyrene-Modified Oligonucleotides

In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the use of pyrene-modified oligonucleotides as a platform for functional nucleic acid-based constructs. Pyrene is of special interest for the development of nucleic acid-based tools due to its unique fluorescent properties (sensitivity of fluorescence to the microenvironment, ability to form excimers and exciplexes, long fluorescence lifetime, high quantum yield), ability to intercalate into the nucleic acid duplex, to act as a π-π-stacking (including anchoring) moiety, and others. These properties of pyrene have been used to construct novel sensitive fluorescent probes for the sequence-specific detection of nucleic acids and the discrimination of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), aptamer-based biosensors, agents for binding of double-stranded DNAs, and building blocks for supramolecular complexes. Special attention is paid to the influence of the design of pyrene-modified oligonucleotides on their properties, i.e., the structure-function relationships. The perspectives for the applications of pyrene-modified oligonucleotides in biomolecular studies, diagnostics, and nanotechnology are discussed.

1-Phenylethynylpyrene (PEPy) as a novel blue-emitting dye for qPCR assay

An alkyl azide derivative of 1-phenylethynylpyrene (PEPy) dye was prepared and used in the functionalization of oligonucleotides via click chemistry. Spectral and photo-physical properties of the PEPy-modified oligonucleotides as a single strand, and in perfect or mismatched duplexes, have been studied. A series of PEPy-Dabcyl fluorogenic TaqMan probes were synthesized and tested in qPCR. PEPy proved to be a superior substitute for AMCA as a short wavelength fluorescent dye for qPCR probes. PEPy probes were shown to significantly reduce Cq (a fractional PCR cycle used for quantification) vs. AMCA labeled probes, thus improving on the reliability of detection. Moreover, a larger increase of fluorescence during amplification was observed in the case of PEPy probes that makes this dye very suitable for an end-point PCR technique. This study broadens the panel of fluorescent dyes suitable for the use in probes for quantitative real-time PCR.

Interdependence of pyrene interactions and tetramolecular G4-DNA assembly

Our results demonstrate the expanded capabilities of G-quadruplex DNAs for directed chromophore arrangements and show new perspectives in the design of G-quadruplexes governed by non-guanine moieties.

[Oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotides) and their derivatives: III. 5'-mono- and 5'-bispyrenyl derivatives of oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotides) and their 3'-modified analogues: synthesis and properties]

5'-Pyrenylmethylphosphoramidite and 5'-bispyrenylmethylphosphordiamidite derivatives of oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotides) and their analogues with thymidine attached at their 3'-termini by a 3'-3'-phosphodiester internucleotide bond (inverted thymidine) were synthesized. The effect of the pyrene residue(s) on the thermal stability of duplexes of the modified oligonucleotides with RNA and DNA was studied. A possibility of detection of hybridization of 5'-mono- and 5'-bispyrenyl derivatives with RNA and DNA targets in solution was demonstrated according to the changes in fluorescence. 5'-Pyrenylmethylphosphoramidite derivatives of oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotides) and their inverted analogues were shown to serve as sensitive probes for the detection of oligonucleotide substitutions in RNA and DNA by the method of thermal denaturation of the formed duplexes detected according to changes in their fluorescence.

Highly fluorescent conjugated pyrenes in nucleic acid probes: (phenylethynyl)pyrenecarbonyl-functionalized locked nucleic acids

In recent years, fluorescently labeled oligonucleotides have become a widely used tool in diagnostics, DNA sequencing, and nanotechnology. The recently developed (phenylethynyl)pyrenes are attractive dyes for nucleic acid labeling, with the advantages of long-wave emission relative to the parent pyrene, high fluorescence quantum yields, and the ability to form excimers. Herein, the synthesis of six (phenylethynyl)pyrene-functionalized locked nucleic acid (LNA) monomers M(1)-M(6) and their incorporation into DNA oligomers is described. Multilabeled duplexes display higher thermal stabilities than singly modified analogues. An increase in the number of phenylethynyl substituents attached to the pyrene results in decreased binding affinity towards complementary DNA and RNA and remarkable bathochromic shifts of absorption/emission maxima relative to the parent pyrene fluorochrome. This bathochromic shift leads to the bright fluorescence colors of the probes, which differ drastically from the blue emission of unsubstituted pyrene. The formation of intra- and interstrand excimers was observed for duplexes that have monomers M(1)-M(6) in both complementary strands and in numerous single-stranded probes. If more phenylethynyl groups are inserted, the detected excimer signals become more intense. In addition, (phenylethynyl)pyrenecarbonyl-LNA monomers M(4), M(5), and M(6) proved highly useful for the detection of single mismatches in DNA/RNA targets.

Phenylethynylpyrene excimer forming hybridization probes for fluorescence SNP detection

Excimer formation is a unique feature of some fluorescent dyes (e.g., pyrene) which can be used for probing the proximity of biomolecules. Pyrene excimer fluorescence has previously been used for homogeneous detection of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on DNA. 1-Phenylethynylpyrene (1-1-PEPy), a photostable pyrene derivative with redshifted fluorescence, is able to form excimers (emission maximum about 500-510 nm) and is well suitable for nucleic acid labeling. We have shown the utility of 1-1-PEPy in the excimer-forming DNA probes for detection of 2144A/G and 2143A/G transitions, and 2143A/C substitution in the 23S ribosomal RNA gene of Helicobacter pylori strains resistant to clarithromycin. The phenylethynylpyrene pair can be generated either from 1-1-PEPy pseudonucleoside 4-[4-(pyren-1-ylethynyl)phenyl]-1,3-butanediol or from 2'-O-(1-PEPy) modified nucleosides--2'-O-[3-(pyren-1-ylethynyl)benzyl]uridine and 2'-O-[4-(pyren-1-ylethynyl)benzyl]uridine.

Artificial DNAs based on alkynyl C-nucleosides as a superior scaffold for homo- and heteroexcimer emissions

DNA-like fluorescent oligomers composed of alkynyl beta-D-ribofuranosides bearing pyrene, perylene, and anthracene as a fluorophore were synthesized by solid-phase DNA synthesis. The fluorescent oligomers possess the defined number and order of the fluorophores. In these oligomers, the adjacent fluorophores efficiently interact with each other by hydrophobic interactions in their electronic ground states in a face-to-face fashion. The predominant excimer emissions were observed from not only the homooligomers (pyrene-pyrene and perylene-perylene systems) but also the heterooligomers (pyrene-perylene, pyrene-anthracene, and perylene-anthracene systems) in aqueous media.

Detection of mixed clarithromycin-resistant and -susceptible Helicobacter pylori using nested PCR and direct sequencing of DNA extracted from faeces

The major cause of chemotherapy failure in patients with chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori is clarithromycin (CAM) resistance due to a mutation in the 23S rRNA gene. This study describes a non-invasive and accurate method for the detection of mixed CAM-resistant and -susceptible H. pylori by sequencing of the H. pylori 23S rRNA gene. Faeces were crushed with beads and the 23S rRNA gene was amplified using a nested PCR on the extracted DNA. Mutation analysis of this gene using this method showed that 20.4 % of patients carried mixed CAM-susceptible (wild type) and -resistant (A2142G or A2143G mutant) H. pylori. Furthermore, it was found that 66.6 % of patients who had been treated unsuccessfully carried one of these mutations in the 23S rRNA gene (including the mixed type), whilst standard culture detected CAM-resistant isolates in only 22.2 % of patients with unsuccessful treatment. These data suggest that, for successful therapy, the diagnosis method described here would more accurately detect CAM-resistant H. pylori, including mixed infections.

1-Phenylethynylpyrene (1-PEPy) as Refined Excimer Forming Alternative to Pyrene: Case of DNA Major Groove Excimer

1-Phenylethynylpyrene fluorochrome was studied as meta- and para-derivatives of arabino-uridine-2'-carbamates in ss and dsDNA. 1-PEPy showed red-shifted emission and increased fluorescence quantum yield compared to pyrene. Although 1-PEPy has very short excited lifetime (<2.5 ns), it is able to form inter- and intrastrand excimers on DNA, probably resulting from spatial preorganization of two dye molecules.