Exceptional fluorescence and hybridization properties of a phenylpyrrolocytosine in peptide nucleic acid

Abstract

A phenylpyrrolocytosine derivative possessing bis-(ortho-aminoethoxy) substitution has been designed, synthesized and incorporated into PNA resulting in oligomers that demonstrate increased binding affinity for DNA targets. The phenylpyrrolocytosine is an exceptionally fluorescent modified nucleobase possessing a high quantum yield while the fluorescence intensity displays useful environmental sensitivity.