Tethered thiazole orange intercalating dye for development of fibre-optic nucleic acid biosensors

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotide in solution, or that is immobilized onto a surface to create a biosensor, can be used as a selective probe to bind to a complementary single-stranded sequence. Fluorescence enhancement of thiazole orange (TO) occurs when the dye intercalates into double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). TO dye has been covalently attached to probe oligonucleotides (homopolymer and mixed base 10mer and 20mer) through the 5′ terminal phosphate group using polyethylene glycol linker. The tethered TO dye was able to intercalate when dsDNA formed in solution, and also at fused silica surfaces using immobilized ssDNA. The results indicated the potential for development of a self-contained biosensor where the fluorescent label was available as part of the immobilized oligonucleotide probe chemistry. The approach was shown to be able to operate in a reversible manner for multiple cycles of detection of targeted DNA sequences.     

Doubly thiazole orange-labeled cytidine for functional expansion of a hybridization-sensitive probe

A 2′-deoxycytidine derivative modified by two thiazole orange dyes has been designed for functional expansion of hybridization-sensitive fluorescence probes. This nucleotide was synthesized by a procedure that included protection of the cytosine amino group by di(n-butyl)formamidine formation, followed by incorporation into DNA. The fluorescence of the synthesized DNA was controlled by excitonic interaction, showing strong fluorescence upon hybridization with the target nucleic acid and effective quenching in a single-stranded state of the probe.     

Aptamer binding assays for proteins: The thrombin example—A review

Experimentally selected single-stranded DNA and RNA aptamers are able to bind to specific target molecules with high affinity and specificity. Many analytical methods make use of affinity binding between the specific targets and their aptamers. In the development of these methods, thrombin is the most frequently used target molecule to demonstrate the proof-of-principle. This paper critically reviews more than one hundred assays that are based on aptamer binding to thrombin. This review focuses on homogeneous binding assays, electrochemical aptasensors, and affinity separation techniques. The emphasis of this review is placed on understanding the principles and unique features of the assays. The principles of most assays for thrombin are applicable to the determination of other molecular targets.     

Thiazole orange as an everyday replacement for ethidium bromide and costly DNA dyes for electrophoresis

DNA gel electrophoresis is a standard tool of biochemistry and molecular biology laboratories. The common dye ethidium bromide suffers from toxicity concerns and requires the use of damaging ultraviolet light. We observe that exposing plasmid DNA to a UV transilluminator for only 1 s results in detectable loss of colonies following transformation, suggesting rapid accumulation of DNA damage. SYBR Safe, a commercial product, is marketed as a safe alternative to ethidium bromide and has excellent sensitivity with nondamaging blue light, but suffers from prohibitively high costs. We show that thiazole orange, the parent compound of SYBR Safe, is an excellent, simple, and inexpensive alternative to these dyes. It is excitable with safe blue light or UV light, with DNA detection limits in agarose gels similar to ethidium bromide and SYBR Safe (1–2 ng/lane). Thiazole orange safely allows the use of nondamaging blue light at the same cost as ethidium bromide.     

Comparison of N-alkyl acridine orange dyes as fluorescence probes for the determination of cardiolipin

The phospholipid (PL), cardiolipin (CL), is found almost exclusively in the inner membrane of mitochondria and loss of CL is considered as an important indication of cell apoptosis. Previously, 10-N-nonyl acridine orange (NAO) has been used as a fluorescent probe for the visualization of CL in mitochondrial cell membranes and in solution. In this work for the determination of CL, we have synthesized two new fluorescent probes, n-tetradecyl acridine orange (C14-AO), and n-octadecyl acridine orange (C18-AO) by reacting acridine orange with the corresponding n-alkyl bromide. Using excitation and emission wavelengths at about 500 and 525 nm and varying the percentage of methanol in water as the solvent, no interaction between CL and the fluorescent probes at 75% is noted but a proportional quenching of the fluorescence signal by CL is observed at 50% or less for C14-AO and 60% or less for C18-AO. Binding efficiency of these fluorescent probes to CL is compared using dye concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 μM. C18-AO shows a better sensitivity than C14-AO and NAO, respectively, but is less selective. For C14-AO, the detection limit and limit of quantitation are 0.07 and 0.21 μM, respectively, which are better than those previously reported for NAO. One anionic PL, phosphatidic acid, shows some quenching interference to both the C14 and C18 dyes but only at concentrations above the working range for sample analysis. The CL in mitochondrial membrane samples is determined by standard addition using C14-AO. The level of CL in the outer mitochondrial membrane compared to the inner membrane is significantly increased due to the addition of cadmium chloride into the cells causing cell apoptosis.     

A fluorescent molecular switch for room temperature operation based on oligonucleotide hybridization without labeling of probes or targets

A molecular switch was prepared by self-assembly. Neutravidin served as a template that allowed for a biotinylated probe oligonucleotide to be placed adjacent to a biotinylated long-chain linker that was terminated with thiazole orange (TO). Hybridization of probe oligonucleotide with target to form double-stranded DNA resulted in intercalation of the adjacent TO probe. This was a reversible process that could be tracked by fluorescence intensity changes. Formamide was used as a denaturant for double-stranded DNA, and could be used to depress thermal denaturation temperatures. In this work formamide had a dual function, providing for control of hybridization selectivity at room temperature, while concurrently ameliorating non-specific adsorption to improve signal-to-noise when using thiazole orange as a fluorescence signalling agent to determine oligonucleotide hybridization. Room temperature single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discrimination for oligonucleotide targets was achieved both in solution and for molecular switches that were immobilized onto optical fibers. In solution, a concentration of 18.5% formamide provided greater than 40-fold signal difference between single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA, in contrast to only a 2-fold difference in the absence of formamide. Selectivity for SNP determination in solution was demonstrated using targets of varying lengths including a 141-base PCR amplicon. The improved signal-to-noise achieved by use of formamide is likely due to preferential displacement of dye molecules that are otherwise electrostatically bound to the polyanionic nucleic acid backbone.     

Photochromism of new diarylethenes bearing both thiazole and benzene moieties

A new class of photochromic diarylethenes bearing both thiazole and benzene moieties has been developed, and the effects of substitution on their properties, including photochromism, fatigue resistance, and fluorescence properties have been investigated. They exhibited good photochromism and functioned as a fluorescence switch upon alternating irradiation with UV and visible light both in solution and in PMMA film. The electron-donating substituents could significantly enhance the cyclization quantum yield and depress the cycloreversion quantum yield whereas the electron-withdrawing groups functionalized an inverse action for these diarylethene derivatives. Relatively big differences exist among the properties of these diarylethenes which may be attributed to the different substituent effects.     

Synthesis and biological activity research of novel ferrocenyl-containing thiazole imine derivatives

A series of novel N-substituted benzylidene-4-ferrocenyl-5-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-amine derivatives were synthesized by condensation of substituted-benzaldehydes with 2-amino-4-ferrocenyl-5-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-1,3-thiazole and characterized by ¹H NMR, X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis. The results of bioassay showed that some title compounds exhibited some degree of plant growth regulatory and antifungal activities.     

Synthesis and MRSA PK inhibitory activity of thiazole containing deoxytopsentin analogues

The public health care crisis caused by the emergence of drug resistant bacterial strains, e.g., methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has underlined the urgent need to accelerate the discovery of new chemical entities active against antibiotic resistant bacteria. We report here the synthesis of a series thiazole containing deoxytopsentin analogues, which show moderate activity against a target MRSA pyruvate kinase enzyme: an evolutionary conserved hub protein critical for bacterial survival. A Hantzsch thiazole coupling between α-oxo-1H-indole-3-thioacetamides and 2-bromo-1-(1H-indol-3-yl)-ethanones provided facile access to the thiazole containing deoxytopsentin compounds.     

Fluorescent determination of cardiolipin using 10-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-nonyl acridine orange

Cardiolipin (CL) plays an essential role as a marker for cell apoptosis. Quantitative detection of phospholipids (PLs) by UV absorbance is problematic due to the presence of few double bonds in the structure. Although 10-N-nonyl acridine orange (NAO) has been utilized for fluorescent visualization of liposomes and mitochondria through its interaction with CL, in this work, we have developed a specific fluorescent method for CL in solution using NAO. The interaction of sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS), used to treat cells prior to lipid extraction, and other PLs found in cell membranes such as phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidiylserine (PS), and sphingomyelin (SM) with NAO is investigated. The fluorescence intensity of the 0.5 μM NAO signal is strongly quenched by SDS below 25% methanol in water but with a methanol content above 50%, no quenching of NAO by SDS is observed. No fluorescence quenching of NAO with a 50% methanol/50% water solvent by the previously mentioned PLs or 4–20 μM cholesterol with the exception of PG at above 8 μM is noted. Using this 50% methanol/50% water solvent, the fluorescence signal due to the NAO–CL interaction is quite stable from 3 to at least 15 min. With excitation and emission wavelengths set at 518 and 530 nm, respectively, 20 μM NAO provides an inverse linear fluorescence response at 0.2–10 μM CL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9929. The detection limit is 0.2 μM and the limit of quantification is 0.6 μM. Structurally analogous acridine orange and phenosafranin dyes are less effective as fluorescent probes for CL. The CL in the whole cell and membrane samples is quantitatively determined by standard addition to range from 0.2 to 1.5 μM. The level of CL in cell membrane samples, previously subjected to staurosporine which initiates cell apoptosis, is increased but not significantly through use of the t-test.     

Synthesis of thiazole clubbed pyrazole derivatives as apoptosis inducers and anti-infective agents

Fourteen N-[{(substituted-phenylthiazol-2-yl)-3-aryl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl}methylene]-5-substituted-thiazol-2-amine (5a-n) analogs were synthesized by the reaction of 3-aryl-1-(thiazol-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde and substituted thiazole amines. The structures of prepared compounds were delineated by elemental analysis, FT-IR and ¹H NMR spectra. These analogs were scrutinized for in vitro anti-infective and cytotoxic activities. Some thaizole clubbed pyrazole derivatives were assessed for their cytological changes in germ cells of Capra hircus by using histomorphological analysis, fluorescence assay and apoptosis quantification. Compound 5l having 4-NO₂ substituent induced the significant apoptosis in tested cells of Capra hircus. The results revealed that compounds 5c, 5e, 5k, and 5l have commendable antibacterial activity within MIC range of 62.5–250 μg/ml. Compound 5c emerged as a potent antimalarial compound by exhibiting IC₅₀ value of 0.23 μg/ml and compound 5j induced paralysis of Pherentima posthuma at 8.6 ± 1.94 min and death at 20 ± 5.04 min, respectively. Compound 5j revealed an excellent cytotoxicity at IC₅₀ value of 30.7 and < 10 μg/ml against MCF-7 and HeLa cells, respectively. Individually, compounds 5c, 5j and 5l could be considered as promising anti-infective and cytotoxic compounds.     

Synthesis,characterization and antimicrobial activity of some new biquinoline derivatives containing a thiazole moiety

A series of new biquinoline derivatives containing a thiazole moiety were synthesized by a one-pot,base-catalyzed cyclocondensation reaction of 2-chloro-3-formyl quinoline,malononitrile and enaminone.All the synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis,FT-IR,¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR data.All the synthesized compounds were screened against three bacterial pathogens,namely Bacillus cereus,B.substilis and Escherichia coli and for antifungal activity against three fungal pathogens,Aspergillus niger,Fusarium oxisporum and Rhizopus using the disc diffusion method.     

甲基橙褪色动力学光度法测定槲皮素的研究

基于稀H2SO4介质中,槲皮素对KBrO3氧化甲基橙褪色反应的明显催化作用,建立了测定痕量槲皮素的动力学光度法。在选定的条件下,方法的线性范围为0~0.05 mg/L,表观摩尔吸光系数为4.52×106L.mol-1.cm-1,检出限为0.0012 mg/L。利用此法测定了银杏叶和中药制剂慢严舒柠中的槲皮素,加标回收率为95%~106.7%,相对标准偏差小于3.3%。     

Simultaneous Detection of L-Lactate and D-Glucose Using DNA Aptamers in Human Blood Serum**

L-lactate is a key metabolite indicative of physiological states, glycolysis pathways, and various diseases such as sepsis, heart attack, lactate acidosis, and cancer. Detection of lactate has been relying on a few enzymes that need additional oxidants. In this work, DNA aptamers for L-lactate were obtained using a library-immobilization selection method and the highest affinity aptamer reached a K_d of 0.43 mM as determined using isothermal titration calorimetry. The aptamers showed up to 50-fold selectivity for L-lactate over D-lactate and had little responses to other closely related analogs such as pyruvate or 3-hydroxybutyrate. A fluorescent biosensor based on the strand displacement method showed a limit of detection of 0.55 mM L-lactate, and the sensor worked in 90 % serum. Simultaneous detection of L-lactate and D-glucose in the same solution was achieved. This work has broadened the scope of aptamers to simple metabolites and provided a useful probe for continuous and multiplexed monitoring.     

A guideline for the arylation of positions 4 and 5 of thiazole via Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions

The arylation of thiazoles in 4- and 5-position was investigated in detail. Suzuki-Miyaura and Stille cross-coupling reactions were tested using thiazoles either as halide or organometal species. The obtained results were critically compared to develop helpful guidelines for selection of the cross-coupling methodology with the best potential for good and reliable results for a given synthetic problem without the need for tedious optimization of reaction parameters.     

Thermodynamic characterization of the dimerization equilibrium of an asymmetric dye by spectral titration and chemometric analysis

The monomer-dimer equilibrium of an asymmetric cyanine dye has been investigated by means of UV-Vis spectroscopy. The data have been processed by a recently developed chemometric method for quantitative analysis of undefined mixtures, that is based on simultaneous resolution of the overlapping bands in the whole set of absorption. In this work the dimerization constant of 1-carboxydecyl-4-{3-[3-methyl-3H-benzothiazol-2-ylidene]-propenyl}-quinolinium (TO-3) has been determined by studying the dependence of absorption spectrum on temperature in the range 25-72.5 °C at different total concentrations of dye (8.5×10⁻⁶ to 2.87×10⁻⁵ M). Utilizing the van’t Hoff relation, which describes the dependence of the equilibrium constant on temperature, as constraint we determine the spectral responses of the monomer and dimer species as well as the enthalpy and entropy of the dimerization equilibrium.     

Investigation and comparison of biological effects of regioselectively synthesized thiazole derivatives

In this study, anticancer, antibacterial (against hospital-isolated antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli strains), antifungal, and antioxidant effects of synthesized heterocyclic compounds 5 and 7 containing thiazole core were examined. Cytotoxicity testing was utilized against MCF-7 breast cancer cells via MTT cell viability assay. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were checked out according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines, and antioxidant properties were evaluated through scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. Results showed the viability of breast cancer cell lines was reliant on concentration of heterocycles and time of incubation. Synthetic compounds exhibited excellent antibacterial and antifungal properties base on their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values as well as high antioxidant activities according to their IC₅₀ values. Higher anticancer and antibacterial properties were observed with compound 7; on the contrary, thiazole 5 had better antioxidant effects. They can be introduced as potent antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer agents.     

Exploring base-pair-specific optical properties of the DNA stain thiazole orange

Double-stranded DNA offers multiple binding sites to DNA stains. Measurements of noncovalently bound dye-nucleic acid complexes are, necessarily, measurements of an ensemble of chromophores. Thus, it is difficult to assign fluorescence properties to base-pair-specific binding modes of cyanine dyes or, vice versa, to obtain information about the local environment of cyanines in nucleic acids by using optical spectroscopy. The feasibility to stain DNA and simultaneously probe local perturbations by optical spectroscopy would be a valuable asset to nucleic acid research. So-called FIT probes (forced intercalation probes) were used to pinpoint the location of the DNA stain thiazole orange (TO) in PNADNA duplexes. A detailed analysis of the base-pair dependence of optical properties is provided and enforced binding of TO is compared with "classical" binding of free TO-PRO1. UV-visible absorbance, circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy, and melting-curve analyses confirmed site-specific TO intercalation. Thiazole orange exhibited base-specific responses that are not observed in noncovalent dye-nucleic acid complexes, such as an extraordinary dependence of the TO extinction coefficient (+/-60 % variation of the averaged epsilon(max) of 57,000 M(-1) cm(-1)) on nearest-neighbor base pairs. TO signals hybridization, as shown by increases in the steady-state fluorescence emission. Studies of TO fluorescence lifetimes in FIT-PNA and in DNADNA and PNADNA complexes highlighted four different fluorescence-decay processes that may be closed or opened in response to matched or single-mismatched hybridization. A very fast decay process (0.04-0.07 ns) and a slow decay process (2.33-3.95 ns) provide reliable monitors of hybridization, and the opening of a fast decay channel (0.22-0.48 ns) that resulted in an attenuation of the fluorescence emission is observed upon the formation of mismatched base pairs.     

Synthesis,characterization and corrosion inhibitive properties of new thiazole based polyamides containing diarylidenecyclohexanone moiety

The present work aimed to synthesize a new interesting series of thiazole based polyamides containing diarylidenecyclohexanone moiety 5a-5f using low temperature solution polycondensation technique. The new polymers were synthesized by the reaction of thiazole based monomer namely, bis(2-aminothiazol-4-ylbenzylidene)cyclohexanone 3 with different aliphatic and aromatic diacid chlorides using NMP, and in the presence of anhydrous Li Cl as catalyst. Adipoyl, sebacoyl, oxaloyl, terephthaloyl, isophthaloyl dichlorides and biphenyl dicarbonyl dichloride were used as diacid chlorides. The structure of the model compound 4 as well as the new polymers was confirmed by correct elemental and spectral analyses. The thermal properties of those polymers were evaluated by TGA and DTG measurements and correlated to their structural units, beside X-ray diffraction analysis, solubility and viscometry measurements. The inherent viscosities for the synthesized polymers were in the range 0.6–1.03 d L/g. On the other hand the corrosion inhibitive properties of monomer 3 as well as polyamides 5d and 5f as selected examples were carried out on carbon-steel in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 at 40 °C. The calculated inhibition efficiency(IE%) for polymer 5d was in the range(82 ± 6)% in all selected concentrations. The best value of IE% was obtained at 1 mg/L to reach 98.24% for polymer 5d and at 0.5 mg/L to reach 87.75% for polymer 5f.