Fluorescent DNA nanotags: Supramolecular fluorescent labels based on intercalating dye arrays assembled on nanostructured DNA templates

ORGN 444

Andrea L. Benvin, abenvin@andrew.cmu.edu1, Yehuda Creeger2, Gregory W. Fisher2, Byron Ballou2, Alan S. Waggoner2, and Bruce A. Armitage1. (1) Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, (2) Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Fluorescence is a vital technology in the life sciences. We have synthesized supramolecular complexes consisting of a branched DNA template and intercalating dyes. The efficiency with which these noncovalent assemblies absorb light is 10-fold greater than that of the individual dye molecules. FRET from the intercalated dyes to covalently attached acceptor dyes is efficient, allowing for wavelength shifting of the emission spectrum. The light harvesting ability of these nanostructures is comparable to phycobiliproteins at a fraction of the molecular weight. Biotinylation of the DNA allowed for labeling of synthetic microspheres and mouse T-cells. In order to improve the detection limits and imaging constrast of our DNA-dye constructs, the brightness must be increased by at least an order of magnitude. We are developing nanoparticles based on ca. 350 branched-DNA units, thereby drastically increasing the number of intercalation sites and increasing the brightness of our assemblies.
 

New Reactions and Methodology, Total Synthesis, Materials, Devices and Switches, Lipids, Nucleotides and Mimetics
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Tuesday, March 27, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster

Division of Organic Chemistry

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007