New method for covalent fluorescent biomolecule labeling with hemicyanine dye

Fluorescent chromophore, alkylamino-(tetra-hydronaphthalenylidene)- benzothiazolium derivatives (HBTN dyes), are proposed as covalent labels for proteins via aliphatic amino groups. Spectral-luminescent properties of 3-methyl-2-{(E)-[7-(methylamino)-4,4a,5,6-tetra-hydronaphthalen-2(3H)-ylidene]methyl}-1,3-benzothiazol-3-ium chloride (HBTN, R=Me) and its predecessor, 2-[(E)-(7-methoxy-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydronaphthalen-2(3H)-ylidene)methyl]-3-methyl-1,3-benzothiazol-3-ium chloride (ABTN), are studied for free dyes and in the presence of DNA and BSA. Considerable spectral-luminescent changes accompany the transformation of ABTN into HBTN that allows monitoring conjugation reaction. In presence of DNA and BSA the HBTN increases its emission in 15 and 4 times respectively and becomes strongly fluorescent. The conditions for labeling are developed and a model conjugate of HBTN dye with BSA is synthesized. It was shown that using of HBTN dye as a fluorescent label allows detection by eye of about 3 mug/band of BSA on polyacrylamide gel upon UV-irradiation.