Abstract: The present invention provides fluorescent dye compounds and methods of using the compounds for the staining of nucleic acids including qPCR applications. In particular, the dye compounds comprise heterocyclic molecules with hydroxy alkyl and aromatic substituents, and the dye compounds form highly fluorescent complexes upon nucleic acid binding.

Abstract: Squaraine dyes are incorporated into a separation medium in which protein or polypeptide mixtures are separated, which medium also contains a detergent that forms a complex with the polypeptides or proteins. The dyes, upon excitation in the separation medium, exhibit a heretofore unrecognized selectivity in their fluorescent emissions by emitting a signal only when the dye molecules are associated with complexes of protein (or polypeptide) and detergent molecules, despite the additional presence of dyes in the bulk of the separation medium. The dyes are thus able to indicate the presence and locations of proteins or polypeptides in the separation medium without the need for removing unassociated dyes from the medium.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a method for detecting polyamino acids. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method for detecting polyamino acids using trimethincyanine dyes that interact non-covalently with polyamino acids to produce an optically detectable dye/polyamino acid complex.