Abstract: Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes incorporating an indolium ring moiety that is substituted at the 3-position by a reactive group or by a conjugated substance, and their uses, are described. Conjugation through this position results in spectral properties that are uniformly superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar dyes wherein attachment is at a different position. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and nucleic acid reporter molecules for the detection of nucleic acid in a sample. The nucleic acid reporter molecule comprises two unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moieties, which may be the same or different, that are covalently attached by a linker comprising at least one aromatic, heteroaromatic, cyclic or heterocyclic moiety comprising 3-20 non-hydrogen atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, S, P and C. The linker may be rigid, relatively flexible or some degree thereof. The unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moieties comprise a substituted or unsubstituted benzazolium moiety and a substituted or unsubstituted pyridinium or quinolinium moiety that is connected by a methine bridge that is monomethine, trimethine or pentamethine. The linkers form the cyanine dimer compounds by attaching to the pyridinium or quinolinium moiety of the monomer moieties.

Abstract: The invention provides novel fluorinated resorufin compounds that are of use in a variety of assay formats. Also provided are methods of using the compounds and kits that include a compound of the invention and instructions detailing the use of the compound in one or more assay formats.

Abstract: Unsymmetrical cyanine dyes that incorporate an aza-benzazolium ring moiety are described, including cyanine dyes substituted by a cationic side chain, monomeric and dimeric cyanine dyes, chemically reactive cyanine dyes, and conjugates of cyanine dyes. The subject dyes are virtually non-fluorescent when diluted in aqueous solution, but exhibit bright fluorescence when associated with nucleic acid polymers such as DNA or RNA, or when associated with detergent-complexed proteins. A variety of applications are described for detection and quantitation of nucleic acids and detergent-complexed proteins in a variety of samples, including solutions, electrophoretic gels, cells, and microorganisms.

Abstract: Cyanine dye compounds having a negatively charged substituent that are nucleic acid stains, particularly for fluorescent staining of DNA, including compounds having the formula wherein W forms one or two fused 5- or 6-membered aromatic rings, ? has a value of 0 or 1, n has a value of 0, or 1, X is O, S, or Se, and D is a pyridinium, or quinolinium moiety, provided that the compound has at least one negatively charged substituent.

Abstract: Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes incorporating an indolium ring moiety that is substituted at the 3-position by a reactive group or by a conjugated substance, and their uses, are described. Conjugation through this position results in spectral properties that are uniformly superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar dyes wherein attachment is at a different position. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.

Abstract: The present invention describes novel dyes, including coumarins, rhodamines, and rhodols that incorporate additional fused aromatic rings. The dyes of the invention absorb at a longer wavelength than structurally similar dyes that do not possess the fused aromatic rings. Many of the dyes of the invention are useful fluorescent dyes. The invention includes chemically reactive dyes, dye-conjugates, and the use of such dyes in staining samples and detecting ligands or other analytes.

Abstract: Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes incorporating an indolium ring moiety that is substituted at the 3-position by a reactive group or by a conjugated substance, and their uses, are described. Conjugation through this position results in spectral properties that are uniformly superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar dyes wherein attachment is at a different position. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.

Abstract: Cyanine dye compounds having a substituted methine moiety that are nucleic acid stains, particularly for fluorescent staining of RNA, including compounds having the formula where R1 is a C1-C6 alkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl or C1-C6 alkoxy; each R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, fused benzo, trifluoromethyl, amino, sulfo, carboxy and halogen, that is optionally further substituted; at least one of R3, R4, and R5 is an alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cyclic, or heterocyclic moiety that is optionally substituted by alkyl, amino, aminoalkyl, carboxy, nitro, or halogen; and the remaining R3, R4 or R5 are hydrogen; X is S, O, or Se; and D is a substituted or unsubstituted pyridinium, quinolinium or benzazolium moiety.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of amine-functionalized vinyl polymer particles which process comprises suspension polymerizing minostyrene together with at least one other vinylic monomer and optionally a crosslinking agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining the presence of immobilized nucleic acid employing unsymmetrical cyanine dyes that are derivatives of thiazole orange, a staining solution and select fluorogenic compounds that are characterized as being essentially non-genotoxic. The methods comprise immobilizing nucleic acid, single or double stranded DNA, RNA or a combination thereof, on a solid or semi solid support, contacting the immobilized nucleic acid with an unsymmetrical cyanine dye compound and then illuminating the immobilized nucleic acid with an appropriate wavelength whereby the presence of the nucleic acid is determined. The cyanine dye compounds are typically present in an aqueous staining solution comprising the dye compound and a tris acetate or tris borate buffer wherein the solution facilitates the contact of the dye compound and the immobilized nucleic acid.

Abstract: An embodiment generally relates to a system for analysis of an analyte. The system can include a transparent substrate. The system also includes an excitation light source configured to induce an evanescent wave excitation of a fluorescently labeled molecule near the access to the transparent substrate and a detector for detecting the fluorescently labeled molecule.

Abstract: Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes incorporating an indolium ring moiety that is substituted at the 3-position by a reactive group or by a conjugated substance, and their uses, are described. Conjugation through this position results in spectral properties that are uniformly superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar dyes wherein attachment is at a different position. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.

Abstract: A method to be implemented on or in a computer is disclosed, where the method includes data collection, calibration, candidate selection, and analysis of data streams associated with each candidate to classify single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer events. Once classified, the classification can be related to the nature of the events, such as the identification of dNTP incorporation during primer extension to obtain a base read out of an unknown template.

Abstract: Cyanine dye compounds having a negatively charged substituent that are nucleic acid stains, particularly for fluorescent staining of DNA, including compounds having the formula wherein W forms one or two fused 5- or 6-membered aromatic rings, ? has a value of 0 or 1, n has a value of 0, or 1, X is O, S, or Se, and D is a pyridinium, or quinolinium moiety, provided that the compound has at least one negatively charged substituent.

Abstract: Chemical compounds having a high selectivity for double stranded DNA over RNA and single stranded DNA are disclosed. The chemical compounds are stains that become fluorescent upon illumination and interaction with double stranded DNA, but exhibit reduced or no fluorescence in the absence of double stranded DNA. The compounds can be used in a variety of biological applications to qualitatively or quantitatively assay DNA, even in the presence of RNA.

Abstract: The invention describes crown ether chelators, including crown ethers having the formula:

Abstract: Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes incorporating an indolium ring moiety that is substituted at the 3-position by a reactive group or by a conjugated substance, and their uses, are described. Conjugation through this position results in spectral properties that are uniformly superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar dyes wherein attachment is at a different position. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel primers and methods for the detection of specific nucleic acid sequences. The primers and methods of the invention are useful in a wide variety of molecular biology applications and are particularly useful in allele specific PCR.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions, methods, and kits for covalently linking nucleic acid molecules. The methods include a strand invasion step, and the compositions and kits are useful for performing such methods. For example, a method of covalently linking double stranded (ds) nucleic acid molecules can include contacting a first ds nucleic acid molecule, which has a topoisomerase linked to a 3? terminus of one end and has a single stranded 5? overhang at the same end, with a second ds nucleic acid molecule having a blunt end, such that the 5? overhang can hybridize to a complementary sequence of the blunt end of the second nucleic acid molecule, and the topoisomerase can covalently link the ds nucleic acid molecules. The methods are simpler and more efficient than previous methods for covalently linking nucleic acid sequences, and the compositions and kits facilitate practicing the methods, including methods of directionally linking two or more ds nucleic acid molecules.