BODIPY-modified 2′-deoxyguanosine as a novel tool to detect DNA damages

BODIPY-modified 2′-deoxyguanosine was synthesized for use as a detection reagent for genotoxic compounds. BODIPY-FL is a well known fluorescence reagent whose fluorescent light emission diminishes near a guanine base by a photo-induced electron transfer process. We attached BODIPY-Fl to the 5′ position of the deoxyribose moiety of 2′-deoxyguanosine. Although this compound has low fluorescence activity, when depurination by the action of alkylating reagents and dG oxidation by singlet oxygen occurred, the emission of strong fluorescence was observed. BODIPY-dG was found, therefore, to be a very useful tool for selectively detecting DNA damaging activity particularly in natural environmental extracts.