Biopolym. Cell. 2026; 42(2):139-149.
https://doi.org/10.7124/bc.000B39
Bioorganic Chemistry
Substituent effects in thiacarbocyanine dyes on their spectral-fluorescent response in the presence of nucleic acids and serum albumins
1Kazakov-Kravchenko O. S., 2Losytskyy M. Yu., 3Derevyanko N. A., 3Kulinich A. V., 3Shandura M. P., 1Yarmoluk S. M.
  1. Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine
    150, Akademika Zabolotnoho Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03143
  2. Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
    64/13, Volodymyrska Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 01601
  3. Institute of Organic Chemistry, NAS of Ukraine
    5, Akademika Kuharya Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 02094

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this work was to study a spectral-fluorescent response in the presence of nucleic acids and serum albumins for a series of thiacarbocyanine dyes with various substituents in the benzothiazole end groups and trimethine chain. Methods. UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Results. The highest responses to the DNA and RNA presence (with significant preference for RNA) were observed for the dyes with OH groups at the 5,5' or 6,6' positions and N-methyls in the benzothiazole rings, and with methyl or ethyl group at the β-position of the trimethine chain. Replacing OH groups with O-methyl ones at the 5,5' or 6,6' positions does not noticeably affect the dye’s fluorescent response in the presence of human (HSA), bovine, and equine serum albumins. At the same time, increasing the length of the benzothiazole N-alkyl groups leads to an enhanced fluorescent response to all three serum albumins studied. Conclusions. Dyes 7515 and 7520 are promising for further development as RNA-sensitive fluorescent probes. Dye 7642 shows potential as the fluorescent HSA-sensitive probe.
Keywords: cyanine dyes, fluorescent probes, nucleic acids, serum albumins
Full text: (PDF, in English)

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