Publications > Bosch et al
Dibenzopyridoimidazocinnolinium cations: a new family of light-up fluorescent DNA probes.
1. Departamento de Quimica Organica y Quimica Inorganica, Instituto de Investigacion Quimica "Andres M. del Rio" (IQAR) , Universidad de Alcala , 28805 Alcala de Henares , Spain. 2. Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain. 3. Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain.
Abstract
Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, circular dichroism and molecular modelling techniques have been applied to a new family of weakly fluorescent dibenzopyridoimidazocinnolinium derivatives whose fluorescence intensity increases significantly (larger than × 3.5) upon DNA addition. The synthesis of these azonia cations, which bind to DNA by intercalation, was carried out using a Westphal condensation and a Suzuki cross coupling reaction as key steps. A live-cell staining analysis by confocal microscopy imaging was also performed and showed the capacity of these new compounds for active uptake and accumulation by living cells, with complex patterns of intracellular distribution observed.
