Wiley, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 47(55), p. 14683-14687, 2016
Wiley, Angewandte Chemie, 47(128), p. 14903-14907, 2016
Full text: Download
The unstrained S-allyl cysteine amino acid was site-specifically installed on apoptosis protein biomarkers and was further used as a chemical handle and ligation partner for 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrazines by means of an inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction. We demonstrate the utility of this minimal handle for the efficient labeling of apoptotic cells using a fluorogenic tetrazine dye in a pre-targeting approach. The small size, easy chemical installation, and selective reactivity of the S-allyl handle towards tetrazines should be readily extendable to other proteins and biomolecules, which could facilitate their labeling within live cells.