Small organic molecules as fluorescent probes for nucleotides and their derivatives

Nucleoside monophosphates, diphosphates, triphosphates, and stringent alarmone {i.e. guanosine 3'-diphosphate-5'-di(tri)phosphate [(p)ppGpp]} are important to organisms. There are detection methods for these anions (e.g., based on absorption, fluorescence emission and chemiluminescence). We review the rise in fluorescent probes using small organic molecules for detecting these anions. The requirements of fluorescence real-time monitoring and imaging analysis make it certain that more economic, more specific, and more environmentally and biologically benign fluorescent probes will be designed in the near future. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.