Preparation of fluorescent nucleic acids generating unique emission by primer extension reaction using pyrene-labeled deoxyuridine triphosphate derivatives

Fluorescent nucleic acids were prepared utilizing the polymerase extension (PEX) reaction to incorporate fluorescent molecules. 2'-Deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) derivatives possessing pyrene molecules as fluorophores were synthesized using the aqueous-phase Sonogashira coupling between 5-Iodo-dUTP and acetylene-linked pyrene molecules. The incorporation of the pyrene (Py)-labeled deoxyuridine triphosphates (PyU) into DNA by polymerase was evaluated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, demonstrating that the PyU can work as a good substrate for the PEX reaction. The fluorescent properties of the functionalized DNA prepared by the PEX reaction were characterized by steady-state fluorescence measurements. The Py-conjugated DNA showed typical emission spectra of the pyrene, and the DNA with two pyrene molecules connected to each other by a diethylene glycol linker exhibited a broadened emission attributed to the electronic interaction between the Py molecules.