Ratiometric Fluorescent Signaling of Small Molecule, Environmentally Sensitive Dye Conjugates for Detecting Single‐Base Mutations in DNA

Bind it! A ratiometric fluorescent probe based on conjugation of a DNA-binding ligand with an environmentally sensitive dye to probe hydrophobic grooves of the DNA helix was developed. The resulting conjugate ATMND–DBD can bind to an orphan nucleobase opposite an abasic (AP) site with high selectivity and affinity for pyrimidine bases (see figure).