Hybridization-Sensitive Fluorescent Probe for Long-Term Monitoring of Intracellular RNA

Nuclease-resistant hybridization probes for long-term intracellular RNA imaging were synthesized. Newly designed probes with a 2'-O-MeRNA structure showed high resistance against nucleases, which is in contrast to the low resistance of DNA probes. These modified probes retained the function on the on-off switching of fluorescence emission in sensitive response to RNA recognition, based on the mechanism of interdye excitonic interaction, and functioned effectively for the long-term monitoring of RNA-stained living cells.