Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a widely used technology for studies of cellular and molecular biology, with applications in DNA sequencing, biosensing, and whole animal imaging. BLI relies on enzymes (luciferases) that catalyze the oxidation of small molecules (luciferins).This reaction produces visible light, in addition to the oxidized product (oxyluciferin). Few choices exist for bioluminescent probes. Of these, only a handful of luciferase-luciferin pairs are suitable for use in living organisms and most of these cannot be readily spectrally resolved. We aimed to develop a more expansive set of biolminescent probes with modifications at an alternative ring position. The key compound synthesized is outfitted with an alkyne motif and amenable to rapid diversification via azide-alkyne cycloaddition (i.e., �click� chemistry). These modifications enable tuning of spectral and structural features of the modified luciferin.

Clickable luciferins for bioluminescence imaging applications

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.