Label free fluorescence turn-on detection of polynucleotide kinase activity with a perylene probe

Abstract

A single stranded oligonucleotide could induce aggregation of a perylene probe, the probe's monomer fluorescence was efficiently quenched. However, when the oligonucleotide was 5′-phosphorylated by polynucleotide kinase, it could be very efficiently degraded by lambda exonuclease, probe monomers were released, and a turn on fluorescence signal was detected.