title: Epicocconone, a new cell-permeable long Stokes' shift fluorescent stain for live cell imaging and multiplexing.
abstract: Epicocconone is a heterocyclic natural product from the fungus Epicoccum nigrum that fluoresces weakly in the green (520 nm). However, cells exposed to epicocconone rapidly absorb the dye and become bright orange fluorescent because the natural product reacts reversibly with proteins. The orange fluorescence is enhanced in lipophilic environments, allowing the visualization of membranous organelles and lipid rafts but does not stain oligonucleotides. As the unconjugated dye has no orange fluorescence, there is no need to wash out the excess fluorophore. Epicocconone is a neutral, non-toxic, small molecule that appears to diffuse readily into live of fixed cells without the need for permeabilization. These features enable the real-time imaging of live cells and the study of organelle movements. Cells stained with epicocconone are excitable by common lasers (UV, 405, 488, and 532 nm) and its long Stokes' shift allows multiplexing applications with more common short Stokes' fluorophores using a single light source.
authors.affiliation: FLUOROtechnics Pty Ltd., Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: H-Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Veal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karuso
mesh_terms: D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D004058:Diffusion; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005663:Furans / Q000378:metabolism*; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones / Q000378:metabolism*; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism; D010777:Photochemistry; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005663:Furans; D007659:Ketones; C477464:epicocconone