A new class of fluorescent derivatization for oligonucleotides

Fluorescent labelling of oligonucleotides is the most important tagging methodology used in biotechnology experiments. Despite the numerous derivatives available for the labelling, none of them is fully satisfactory. We have devised a new kind of derivatization using a single class of fluorophores that can be chemically derivatized to emit in the desired region of the visible spectra, thus allowing multilabelling experiments with a great homogeneity of behavior. Such labels can be introduced both during the automated synthesis of the oligonucleotides and with post-synthesis reactions. The labelled oligonucleotides mantain the original hybridization properties and the fluorescence signal is not bleached by light or pH. We are working to produce molecular bacon oligonucleotides to be used as diagnostic tests and exploring the limits of detection of this new class of fluorescent derivatives.