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Yin R, Brøndsted F, Li L, McAfee JL, Fang Y, Sykes JS, He Y, Grant S, He J, Stains CI. Azaphosphinate Dyes: A Low Molecular Weight Near-Infrared Scaffold for Development of Photoacoustic or Fluorescence Imaging Probes. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303331. [PMID: 38206848 PMCID: PMC10957303 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Near-infrared (NIR) dyes are desirable for biological imaging applications including photoacoustic (PA) and fluorescence imaging. Nonetheless, current NIR dyes are often plagued by relatively large molecular weights, poor water solubility, and limited photostability. Herein, we provide the first examples of azaphosphinate dyes which display desirable properties such as low molecular weight, absorption/emission above 750 nm, and remarkable water solubility. In PA imaging, an azaphosphinate dye exhibited a 4.1-fold enhancement in intensity compared to commonly used standards, the ability to multiplex with existing dyes in whole blood, imaging depths of 2.75 cm in a tissue model, and contrast in mice. An improved derivative for fluorescence imaging displayed a >10-fold reduction in photobleaching in water compared to the FDA-approved indocyanine green dye and could be visualized in mice. This new dye class provides a robust scaffold for the development of photoacoustic or NIR fluorescence imaging agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruwen Yin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Frederik Brøndsted
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Lin Li
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Julia L McAfee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Joshua S Sykes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Yuchen He
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Steven Grant
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Jiang He
- Department of Radioalogy and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
- University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Cliff I Stains
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Virginia Drug, Discovery Consortium, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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2
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Brøndsted F, Fang Y, Li L, Zhou X, Grant S, Stains CI. Single Atom Stabilization of Phosphinate Ester-Containing Rhodamines Yields Cell Permeable Probes for Turn-On Photoacoustic Imaging. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303038. [PMID: 37852935 PMCID: PMC10926271 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging imaging technique that uses pulsed laser excitation with near-infrared (NIR) light to elicit local temperature increases through non-radiative relaxation events, ultimately leading to the production of ultrasound waves. The classical xanthene dye scaffold has found numerous applications in fluorescence imaging, however, xanthenes are rarely utilized for PAI since they do not typically display NIR absorbance. Herein, we report the ability of Nebraska Red (NR) xanthene dyes to produce photoacoustic (PA) signal and provide a rational design approach to reduce the hydrolysis rate of ester containing dyes, affording cell permeable probes. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, we construct the first cell permeable rhodamine-based, turn-on PAI imaging probe for hypochlorous acid (HOCl) with maximal absorbance within the range of commercial PA instrumentation. This probe, termed SNR700 -HOCl, is capable of detecting exogenous HOCl in mice. This work provides a new set of rhodamine-based PAI agents as well as a rational design approach to stabilize esterified versions of NR dyes with desirable properties for PAI. In the long term, the reagents described herein could be utilized to enable non-invasive imaging of HOCl in disease-relevant model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Brøndsted
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, 22904, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, 22904, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Lin Li
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, 23298, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 68588, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Current Address: Department of Chemistry, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Steven Grant
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, 23298, Richmond, VA, USA
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 23298, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Cliff I Stains
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, 22904, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- University of Virginia Cancer Center, University of Virginia, 22908, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Virginia Drug Discovery Consortium, 24061, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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3
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DiMeglio D, Zhou X, Wirth T, Brøndsted F, Lesiak L, Fang Y, Shadmehr M, Stains CI. Experimentally Calibrated Computational Prediction Enables Accurate Fine-Tuning of Near-Infrared Rhodamines for Multiplexing. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202202861. [PMID: 36282517 PMCID: PMC9898109 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202202861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A significant barrier inhibiting multiplexed imaging in the near-infrared (NIR) is the extensive trial and error associated with fine-tuning NIR dyes. In particular, the need to synthesize and experimentally evaluate dye derivatives in order to empirically identify those that can be used in multiplexing applications, requires a large investment of time. While coarse-tuning efforts benefit from computational prediction that can be used to identify target dye structures for synthetic campaigns, errors in computational prediction remain too large to accurately parse modifications aimed at fine-tuning changes in dye absorbance and emission. To address this issue, we screened different levels of theory and identified a time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approach that can rapidly, as opposed to synthesis and experimental evaluation, estimate absorbance and emission. By calibrating these computational estimations of absorbance and emission to experimentally determined parameters for a panel of existing NIR dyes, we obtain calibration curves that can be used to accurately predict the effect of fine-tuning modifications in new dyes. We demonstrate the predictive power of this calibrated dataset using seven previously unreported dyes, obtaining mean percent errors in absorbance and emission of 2.2 and 2.8 %, respectively. This approach provides a significant timesavings, relative to synthesis and evaluation of dye derivatives, and can be used to focus synthetic campaigns on the most promising dye structures. The new dyes described herein can be utilized for multiplexed imaging, and the experimentally calibrated dataset will provide the dye chemistry community with a means to rapidly identify fine-tuned NIR dyes in silico to guide subsequent synthetic campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- David DiMeglio
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE68588, USA
- Current Address: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Tatiana Wirth
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Frederik Brøndsted
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Lauren Lesiak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE68588, USA
- Current Address: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Mehrdad Shadmehr
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Cliff I. Stains
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- University of Virginia Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Virginia Drug Discovery Consortium, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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4
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Resta IM, Lucantoni F, Apostolova N, Galindo F. Fluorescent styrylpyrylium probes for the imaging of mitochondria in live cells. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 19:9043-9057. [PMID: 34617091 DOI: 10.1039/d1ob01543e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Eight styrylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate salts have been synthesized and fully optically characterized by UV-vis absorption and fluorescence steady-state/time-resolved spectroscopies. The new dyes exhibit strong emission bands with yellow-orange colours, depending on the substituents present in the structure. Notably, the Stokes shift recorded for some of them exceeds 100 nm, a very valuable feature for biological imaging. Four of them have been assayed as biological imaging agents by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in the human hepatoma cell line Hep3B. It has been found that all the compounds efficiently stain intracellular structures which have been identified as mitochondria through colocalization assays with MitoView (a well-known mitochondrial marker) and using carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) as a mitochondrial membrane potential uncoupler. Additionally, the potential ability of the studied dyes as cytotoxic drugs has been explored. The inhibitory concentration (IC50) against Hep3B was found to be in the range of 4.2 μM-11.5 μM, similar to other described anticancer drugs for the same hepatoma cell line. The combined features of a good imaging agent and potential anticancer drug make the family of the studied pyrylium salts good candidates for further theranostic studies. Remarkably, despite the extensive use of pyrylium dyes in several scientific areas (from photocatalysis to optics), there is no precedent description of a styrylpyrylium salt with potential theranostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Muñoz Resta
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica y Orgánica, Universitat Jaume I, Av. V. Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón, Spain.
| | - Federico Lucantoni
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez n. 15-17, 46010, Valencia, Spain. .,FISABIO (Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana), Spain
| | - Nadezda Apostolova
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez n. 15-17, 46010, Valencia, Spain. .,FISABIO (Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana), Spain.,CIBERehd (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red: Enfermedades hepáticas y digestivas), Spain
| | - Francisco Galindo
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica y Orgánica, Universitat Jaume I, Av. V. Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón, Spain.
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Ogasawara H, Tanaka Y, Taki M, Yamaguchi S. Late-stage functionalisation of alkyne-modified phospha-xanthene dyes: lysosomal imaging using an off-on-off type of pH probe. Chem Sci 2021; 12:7902-7907. [PMID: 34168843 PMCID: PMC8188471 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01705e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent molecules are of great importance for the visualisation of biological processes. Among the most promising dye scaffolds for this purpose are P[double bond, length as m-dash]O-substituted phospha-xanthene (POX) dyes, which show NIR emission with high photostability. Their practical utility for in vitro and in vivo imaging has recently been demonstrated. Although classical modification methods have been used to produce POX-based fluorescent probes, it is still a challenge to introduce additional functional groups to control the localisation of the probe in cells. Herein, we report on the development of POXs that bear a 4-ethynylphenyl group on the phosphorus atom. These dyes can subsequently be functionalised with azide-tagged biomolecules via a late-stage Cu-catalysed azide/alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction, thus achieving target-selective labelling. To demonstrate the practical utility of the functionalised POXs, we designed a sophisticated NIR probe that exhibits a bell-shaped off-on-off pH-response and is able to assess the degree of endosomal maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Ogasawara
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Integrated Research Consortium on Chemical Sciences (IRCCS), Nagoya University Furo, Chikusa Nagoya 464-8602 Japan
| | - Yoshiki Tanaka
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Integrated Research Consortium on Chemical Sciences (IRCCS), Nagoya University Furo, Chikusa Nagoya 464-8602 Japan
| | - Masayasu Taki
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University Furo, Chikusa Nagoya 464-8601 Japan
| | - Shigehiro Yamaguchi
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Integrated Research Consortium on Chemical Sciences (IRCCS), Nagoya University Furo, Chikusa Nagoya 464-8602 Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University Furo, Chikusa Nagoya 464-8601 Japan
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Gonzalez MA, Walker AS, Cao KJ, Lazzari-Dean JR, Settineri NS, Kong EJ, Kramer RH, Miller EW. Voltage Imaging with a NIR-Absorbing Phosphine Oxide Rhodamine Voltage Reporter. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:2304-2314. [PMID: 33501825 PMCID: PMC7986050 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c11382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The development of fluorescent dyes that emit and absorb light at wavelengths greater than 700 nm and that respond to biochemical and biophysical events in living systems remains an outstanding challenge for noninvasive optical imaging. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and application of near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing and -emitting optical voltmeter based on a sulfonated, phosphine-oxide (po) rhodamine for voltage imaging in intact retinas. We find that po-rhodamine based voltage reporters, or poRhoVRs, display NIR excitation and emission profiles at greater than 700 nm, show a range of voltage sensitivities (13 to 43% ΔF/F per 100 mV in HEK cells), and can be combined with existing optical sensors, like Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent proteins (GCaMP), and actuators, like light-activated opsins ChannelRhodopsin-2 (ChR2). Simultaneous voltage and Ca2+ imaging reveals differences in activity dynamics in rat hippocampal neurons, and pairing poRhoVR with blue-light based ChR2 affords all-optical electrophysiology. In ex vivo retinas isolated from a mouse model of retinal degeneration, poRhoVR, together with GCaMP-based Ca2+ imaging and traditional multielectrode array (MEA) recording, can provide a comprehensive physiological activity profile of neuronal activity, revealing differences in voltage and Ca2+ dynamics within hyperactive networks of the mouse retina. Taken together, these experiments establish that poRhoVR will open new horizons in optical interrogation of cellular and neuronal physiology in intact systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica A. Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Alison S. Walker
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute. University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Kevin J. Cao
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Julia R. Lazzari-Dean
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Nicholas S. Settineri
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Eui Ju Kong
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Richard H. Kramer
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute. University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Evan W. Miller
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute. University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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7
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Lesiak L, Zhou X, Fang Y, Zhao J, Beck JR, Stains CI. Imaging GPCR internalization using near-infrared Nebraska red-based reagents. Org Biomol Chem 2020; 18:2459-2467. [PMID: 32167123 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob00043d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Internalization of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCRs) represents a nearly universal pathway for receptor downregulation. Imaging this process provides a means for the identification of pharmaceutical agents as well as potential ligands for orphan receptors. However, there is a need for the further development of near-infrared (NIR) probes capable of monitoring internalization in order to enable multiplexing with existing green fluorescent GPCR activity assays. Our laboratory has recently described a series of near-infrared (NIR) fluorophores in which a phosphinate functionality is inserted at the bridging position of the xanthene scaffold. These fluorophores, termed Nebraska Red (NR) dyes, provide attractive reagents for imaging protein localization. Herein, we disclose the development of NR-based HaloTag ligands for imaging membrane proteins on living cells. These new probes are utilized to image membrane pools of the human orexin type 2 receptor, an established target for the treatment of insomnia. We demonstrate the ability of fetal bovine serum (FBS) to noncovalently associate with a spirolactonized NR probe, enabling no-wash imaging with a 45-fold enhancement of fluorescence. Furthermore, we characterize the utility of NR-based HaloTag ligands for real-time monitoring of receptor internalization upon agonist stimulation. These new reagents enable potential multiplexing with existing GPCR activity assays in order to identify new modulators of GPCR activity as well as ligands for orphan receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Lesiak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA. and Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Jia Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
| | - Jon R Beck
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
| | - Cliff I Stains
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA. and Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA and Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA and Cancer Genes and Molecular Regulation Program, Fred & Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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Oguz M, Gul A, Karakurt S, Yilmaz M. Synthesis of New Picolylamine Bearing Calix[8]arene Derivatives as Antiproliferative Agents for Colorectal Carcinoma. ChemistrySelect 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202002881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Oguz
- Selcuk University Department of Chemistry 42075 Konya Turkey
- Department of Advanced Material and Nanotechnology Selcuk University 42075 Konya Turkey
| | - Alev Gul
- Selcuk University Department of Chemistry 42075 Konya Turkey
| | - Serdar Karakurt
- Selcuk University Department of Biochemistry Konya 42075 Turkey
| | - Mustafa Yilmaz
- Selcuk University Department of Chemistry 42075 Konya Turkey
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A general method to optimize and functionalize red-shifted rhodamine dyes. Nat Methods 2020; 17:815-821. [PMID: 32719532 PMCID: PMC7396317 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-020-0909-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Expanding the palette of fluorescent dyes is vital to push the frontier of biological imaging. Although rhodamine dyes remain the premier type of small-molecule fluorophore due to their bioavailability and brightness, variants excited with far-red or near-infrared light suffer from poor performance due to their propensity to adopt a lipophilic, nonfluorescent form. We report a framework for rationalizing rhodamine behavior in biological environments and a general chemical modification for rhodamines that optimizes long-wavelength variants and enables facile functionalization with different chemical groups.
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