A 5'-BODIPY End-label for Monitoring DNA Duplex-Quadruplex Exchange

Sci Rep. 2018 Nov 15;8(1):16874. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-35352-0.

Abstract

Fluorescent probes that can distinguish different DNA topologies through changes in optical readout are sought after for DNA-based diagnostics. In this work, the 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a, 4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) chromophore attached to cyanophenyl substituents (BODIPY-CN) has been tethered to the 5'-end of the 15-mer thrombin binding aptamer (TBA) that contains the guanine (G) nucleobase. TBA folds into a unimolecular antiparallel G-quadruplex (GQ) upon binding thrombin and certain metal ions. The 5'-BODIPY-CN-TBA sample possesses a Stokes shift of ~40 nm with wavelengths of excitation/emission at 550/590 nm and exhibits a 2-fold increase in emission intensity compared to the free BODIPY-CN in aqueous buffer that possesses a brightness (εΦfl) of ~16,956 M-1. cm-1. However, when 5'-BODIPY-CN-TBA is base-paired to a complementary strand in the B-form duplex, the emission of the BODIPY-CN end-label increases 7-fold, 14-fold compared to the free-dye. This signal-on response enables the BODIPY-CN end-label to serve as a quencher-free fluorescent probe for monitoring duplex-GQ exchange. The visible end-label minimally perturbs GQ stability and thrombin binding affinity, and the modified TBA can act as a combinatorial logic circuit having INHIBIT logic functions. These attributes make BODIPY-CN a highly useful end-label for creating nanomolecular devices derived from G-rich oligonucleotides.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Boron Compounds / chemistry
  • Boron Compounds / metabolism*
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • Kinetics
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Staining and Labeling*
  • Thrombin / metabolism
  • Ultraviolet Rays

Substances

  • 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene
  • Boron Compounds
  • Thrombin