PhenDV, a turn-off fluorescent quadruplex DNA probe for improving the sensitivity of drug screening assays.

We report a new turn-off fluorescent probe, PhenDV, for the identification of high affinity quadruplex (G4) DNA ligands. This push-pull fluorophore displays a high fluorescence quantum yield in water (ΦF = 0.21) and is a selective and strong quadruplex DNA binder. We describe its use as a fluorescent indicator for the G4 Fluorescent Intercalator Displacement (FID) assay as its fluorescence is strongly quenched when bound to G4 DNA and fully restored when displaced by ligand. This probe improves the sensitivity of the G4-FID assay, as the read out relies on increased fluorescence instead of quenching observed with classical on/off probes.