New near-infrared fluorescent probes and tools

DNA probes are fragments of DNA labeled with a reporter tag to enable their detection or purification. The resulting labeled DNA probes can then hybridize to target nucleic acid sequences through complementary base-pairing, and may be used to recover or identify these regions.
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...

Photoluminescence offers a wide range of applications due to its inherent sensitivity and selectivity. This technique allows for both direct and indirect analyses of the analyte. Direct quantitative analysis is possible when the analyte exhibits a favorable quantum yield for fluorescence or phosphorescence. However, an indirect analysis may be feasible if the analyte is not fluorescent or phosphorescent, or if the quantum yield is unfavorable. Indirect methods include reacting the analyte with...

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been...

Different fluorescence-based techniques are used to study the protein dynamics in living cells. These techniques include FRAP, FRET, and PET.
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...

Fluorometers and spectrofluorometers are two types of instruments used for measuring molecular fluorescence. These instruments differ in how they select excitation and emission wavelengths and the type of light sources they utilize. Fluorometers use absorption interference filters to choose excitation and emission wavelengths. The excitation source in a fluorometer is typically a low-pressure mercury vapor lamp that emits intense lines distributed throughout the ultraviolet and visible regions.