Thioflavin T as an efficient fluorescence sensor for selective recognition of RNA G-quadruplexes.
RNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) play important roles in translational regulation, mRNA processing events and gene expression. Therefore, a fluorescent probe that is capable of efficiently recognizing RNA G-quadruplex structures among other RNA forms is highly desirable. In this study, a water-soluble fluorogenic dye (i.e., Thioflavin T (ThT)) was employed to recognize RNA G-quadruplex structures using UV-Vis absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra and emission lifetime experiments. By stacking on the G-tetrad, the ThT probe exhibited highly specific recognition of RNA G-quadruplex structures with striking fluorescence enhancement compared with other RNA forms. The specific binding demonstrates that ThT is an efficient fluorescence sensor that can distinguish G4 and non-G4 RNA structures.
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.|University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China.
Shujuan
S
Xu
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Qian
Q
Li
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Junfeng
J
Xiang
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Qianfan
Q
Yang
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Hongxia
H
Sun
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Aijiao
A
Guan
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Lixia
L
Wang
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Yan
Y
Liu
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Lijia
L
Yu
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.|University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China.
Yunhua
Y
Shi
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Hongbo
H
Chen
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Centre for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.
Yalin
Y
Tang
D001483:Base Sequence; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000737:chemistry*
D052160:Benzothiazoles; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013844:Thiazoles; C009462:thioflavin T; D012313:RNA