The near infrared (NIR) fluorescence has several advantages as a detection system over visible or uv fluorescence counterpart. The spectral properties of cyanine dyes offer advantages for detection in the longer wavelength NIR region. The present work focuses on the synthesis of NIR dyes and their applications in bioanalytical chemistry. Several cyanine dyes have been synthesized. The spectroscopic characteristics such as molar absorptivity, fluorescence quantum yield, excitation and emission maxima have been determined. The potential utilities of these new dyes as probe and reporter molecules in bioanalytical methods have been explored. Dyes bearing reactive functional groups such as isothiocyanate, carboxylic acid or hydroxyl groups can be directly used for covalent labeling of proteins and nucleic acids. Their importance in the synthesis of dye labeled phosphoramidites and dye labeled dideoxynucleotides and use in DNA sequencing have been evaluated.

Date Published: 8 May 1995
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 2388, Advances in Fluorescence Sensing Technology II, (8 May 1995); doi: 10.1117/12.208471

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2388:
Advances in Fluorescence Sensing Technology II
Joseph R. Lakowicz, Editor(s)