Synthetic
red fluorescent protein (RFP) chromophores have emerged
as valuable tools for biological imaging and therapeutic applications,
but their application in the visualization of endogenous RNA G-quadruplexes
(G4s) in living cells has been rarely reported so far. Here, by integrating
the group of the excellent G4 dye ThT, we modulate RFP chromophores
to create a novel fluorescent probe DEBIT with red emission. DEBIT
selectively recognizes the G4 structure with the advantage of strong
binding affinity, high selectivity, and excellent photostability.
Using DEBIT as a fluorescent indicator, the real-time monitoring of
RNA G4 in biological systems can be achieved. In summary, our work
expands the application of synthetic RFP chromophores and provides
an essential dye category to the classical G4 probes.
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