Abstract:
Chemical compounds having a high selectivity for double stranded DNA over RNA and single stranded DNA are disclosed. The chemical compounds are stains that become fluorescent upon illumination and interaction with double stranded DNA, but exhibit reduced or no fluorescence in the absence of double stranded DNA. The compounds can be used in a variety of biological applications to qualitatively or quantitatively assay DNA, even in the presence of RNA.
Abstract:
Chemical stain compounds containing a fluorophore and a reducible quenching unit are disclosed. The reducible quenching unit quenches the fluorophore while in its oxidized state. Upon reduction, the quenching properties of the quenching unit are diminished or eliminated. The chemical compounds can be used in a variety of applications, including the detection of bacterial cells, monitoring the electron transport chain function of bacterial cells, monitoring the oxidation state of non-biological systems, and assaying the effectiveness of antibacterial or antimicrobial agents.
Abstract:
Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes incorporating an indolium ring moiety that is substituted at the 3-position by a reactive group or by a conjugated substance, and their uses, are described. Conjugation through this position results in spectral properties that are uniformly superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar dyes wherein attachment is at a different position. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.