Ultrabright two-photon excitable red-emissive fluorogenic probes for fast and wash-free bioorthogonal labelling in live cells

Two-Factor Fluorogenic Cyanine-Styryl Dyes with Yellow and Red Fluorescence for Bioorthogonal Labelling of DNA

An orange- and a red-emitting tetrazine-modified cyanine-styryl dyes were synthesized for bioorthogonal labelling of DNA by means of the Diels-Alder reaction with inverse electron demand. Both dyes use the concept of the "two-factor" fluorogenicity for nucleic acids: (i) The dyes are nucleic-acid sensitive by their non-covalent binding to DNA, and (ii) their covalently attached tetrazine moiety quench the fluorescence. As a result, the reaction with bicyclononyne- and spirohexene-modified DNA is significantly accelerated up to k2 =280,000 M-1  s-1 , and the fluorescence turn-on is enhanced up to 305. Both dyes are cell permeable even in low concentrations and undergo fluorogenic reactions with spirohexene-modified DNA in living HeLa cells. The fluorescence is enhanced in living cells to such an extent that washing procedures before cell imaging are not required. Their large Stokes shifts (up to 0.77 eV) also makes them well suited for imaging because the wavelength ranges for excitation and emission can be best possible separated. Furthermore, the spirohexene-modified nucleosides and DNA extend and improve the toolbox of already existing "clickable" dyes for live cell imaging.

Mitochondria-targeting two-photon fluorescent probe for sequential recognition of Cu2+ and ATP in neurons and zebrafish

Highly active mitochondria play a significant role in neuron function. Cu2+ and ATP levels in mitochondria regulate neuronal mitochondrial activity. However, mitochondrial activity was often evaluated by mitochondrial membrane potential. Less is known about the dynamics of Cu2+ and ATP in mitochondria. Herein, we developed a two-photon fluorescence probe (MP), which provided a determination of mitochondrial ATP and Cu2+. The fluorescence of MP showed remarkable quenching in the presence of Cu2+ and then gradually recovered in the presence of ATP, which can be used for sequential recognition. MP has high sensitivity to Cu2+ and ATP, with limits of detection (LOD) close to 0.31 nM and 13.6 nM, respectively. Using this useful probe, we monitor the fluctuation of concentrations of Cu2+ and ATP by fluorescence imaging at single neuron and zebrafish.