Visual observation of G-quadruplex DNA with the label-free fluorescent probe silole with aggregation-induced emission

AIE molecule silole 1 could be used to detect G-quadruplex formation using an exonuclease I hydrolysis assay. This visual observation of G-quadruplexes has been successfully used in investigating multiple G-quadruplexes, including the one-stranded telomeric, c-myc, c-kit, VEGF G-quadruplexes, and a d(G(4)T(4)G(4)) inter-molecular G-quadruplex. The detection of G-quadruplex can be also applied to G-quadruplex isomers induced by small molecules. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.