“…Specific examples of pyrene-modified oligonucleotides reviewed here include sensitive fluorescent probes for the sequence-specific detection of nucleic acids (NAs) and discrimination of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), aptamer-based biosensors for the detection of a wide range of various targets, agents for binding of dsDNAs, building units of supramolecular complexes, and other applications. These simple synthetically-accessible molecules integrate an excellent recognition capability of oligonucleotides and ability of pyrene to act as microenvironment-sensitive fluorescent label [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ], excimer- or exciplex-generating molecule [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], NA complex intercalator [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], or π-π-staking hydrophobic moiety [ 20 , 21 ]. It is worth noting that these functions of pyrene are especially brightly expressed in the NA context.…”