title: Signal control by self-assembly of fluorophores in a molecular beacon--a model study.
abstract: Pyrene excimer fluorescence is efficiently regulated through formation of π-stacked aggregates between dialkynylpyrene (Y) and perylenediimide (E) residues located in the stem region of a molecular beacon (MB). The building blocks form organized, multichromophoric complexes in the native form. Hybridization to the target results in a conformational reorganization of the chromophores. The nature of the aggregates was investigated by changing the number of chromophores and natural base pairs in the beacon stem. The formation of different types of complexes (EYEY→YEY→EY) is revealed by characteristic spectroscopic changes. The data show that signal control is an intrinsic property of the interacting chromophores. The directed assembly of non-nucleosidic chromophores can be used for the generation of an on/off switch of a fluorescence signal. The concept may find applications in various types of light-based input/output systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Biner
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kummer
authors.forename: Vladimir L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Malinovskii
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Häner
mesh_terms: D002942:Circular Dichroism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes