Phthalamide-lanthanide complexes for use as luminescent markers

1. A compound having a structure according to Formula I:

wherein,

R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 10 and R 20 are members independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl and substituted alkyl groups,

wherein, two or more of R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , R 7 and, when R 3 is substituted alkyl, a substituent of R 3 are optionally adjoined by at least one linker moiety to form at least one ring;

R 3 , R 8 and R 9 are members independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl and substituted aryl groups;

R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 21 , R 22 and R 23 are members independently selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, H, —NR 14 R 15 , —NO 2 , —OR 16 , —COO 17 ,

wherein R 14 , R 15 , R 16 , and R 17 are members independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, and substituted alkyl, wherein R 12 can optionally form a ring with R 11 , R 13 , or both, and R 22 can optionally form a ring with R 21 , R 23 , or both, said rings being members independently selected from the group of ring systems consisting of cyclic alkyl, substituted cyclic alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocyclyl and substituted heterocyclyl ring systems; and

Q 1 is —OR 18 ;

Q 2 is —OR 19 ;

wherein R 18 and R 19 are members independently selected from H, an enzymatically labile group, a hydrolytically labile group and a single negative charge;

a is 0 or 1, with a proviso that when a is 0, N 2′ is covalently attached directly to carbonyl group 2′; and

z is 0 or 1, with a proviso that when z is 0, N 1′ is covalently attached directly to carbonyl group 1′

wherein said compound is covalently attached to a member selected from a receptor and a drug.

2. A method for detecting a nucleic acid target sequence, said method comprising:

(a) contacting said target sequence with a detector oligonucleotide comprising a single-stranded target binding sequence, said detector oligonucleotide having linked thereto,

i) a complex formed between a metal ion and the compound according to claim 1 ;

ii) a quencher of light energy having an absorbance band overlapping an emission band of said complex,

wherein said detector nucleic acid is in a conformation allowing fluorescence energy transfer between said complex and said quencher when said complex is excited;

(b) hybridizing said target binding sequence to said target sequence, thereby altering said conformation of said detector oligonucleotide, causing a change in a fluorescence parameter; and

(c) detecting said change in said fluorescence parameter, thereby detecting said nucleic acid target sequence.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said detector oligonucleotide has a format selected from molecular beacons, scorpion probes, sunrise probes, light up probes and Taqman probes.

4. A method for detecting the presence of a nucleic acid target sequence, said method comprising:

(a) hybridizing to said target sequence a detector oligonucleotide comprising a single-stranded target binding sequence and an intramolecularly associated secondary structure 5′ to said target binding sequence, wherein at least a portion of the target sequence forms a single stranded tail which is available for hybridization to said target sequence,

said detector oligonucleotide having linked thereto,

i) a complex formed between a metal ion and the compound according to claim 1 ;

ii) a quencher of light energy having an absorbance band overlapping an emission band of said complex,

wherein said detector nucleic acid is in a conformation allowing fluorescence energy transfer between said complex and said quencher when said complex is excited;

(b) in a primer extension reaction, synthesizing a complementary strand using said intramolecularly associated secondary structure as a template, thereby dissociating said intramolecularly associated secondary structure and producing a change in a fluorescence parameter;

(c) detecting said change in said fluorescence parameter, thereby detecting said nucleic acid target sequence.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said intramolecularly associated secondary structure is a member selected from hairpins, stem-loop structures, pseudoknots, triple helices and conformationally assisted structures.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said complementary strand is synthesized in a target amplification reaction.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said complementary strand is synthesized by extension of the target sequence using said detector oligonucleotide as a template.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the intramolecularly associated secondary structure comprises a totally or partially single-stranded endonuclease recognition site.

9. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said change in fluorescence is detected as an indication of the presence of said target sequence.

10. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said fluorescence parameter is detected in-real time.

11. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said intramolecularly base-paired secondary structure comprises a portion of said target binding sequence.

12. A method for detecting amplification of a target sequence comprising, in an amplification reaction:

(a) hybridizing to said target sequence a detector oligonucleotide comprising a single-stranded target binding sequence and an intramolecularly associated secondary structure 5′ to said target binding sequence, wherein at least a portion of said target sequence forms a single stranded tail which is available for hybridization to said target sequence, said detector oligonucleotide having linked thereto,

i) a complex formed between a metal ion and the compound according to claim 1 ;

ii) a quencher of light energy having an absorbance band overlapping an emission band of said complex,

wherein said detector nucleic acid is in a conformation allowing fluorescence energy transfer between said complex and said quencher when said complex is excited;

(b) extending said hybridized detector oligonucleotide on said target sequence with a polymerase to produce a detector oligonucleotide extension product and separating said detector oligonucleotide extension product from said target sequence;

(c) hybridizing a primer to said detector oligonucleotide extension product and extending the primer with said polymerase, thereby linearizing said intramolecularly associated secondary structure and producing a change in a fluorescence parameter; and

(d) detecting said change in said fluorescence parameter, thereby detecting said target sequence.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said target sequence is amplified by a method selected from Strand Displacement Amplification, Polymerase Chain Reaction 3SR, TMA and NASBA.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said secondary structure further comprises a partially or entirely single-stranded restriction endonuclease site.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein a change in fluorescence intensity is detected.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said change in fluorescence intensity is detected in real-time.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said intramolecularly base-paired secondary structure comprises a portion of said target binding sequence.

18. The complex of claim 1 , wherein said drug is a member selected from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistaminic drugs, antitussive drugs, antipruritic drugs, anticholinergic drugs, antihistaminic drugs, antinauseant drugs, anorexic drugs, central stimulant drugs, antiarrhythmic drugs, β-adrenergic blocker drugs, cardiotonic drugs, antihypertensive drugs, diuretic drugs, vasodilator drugs, vasoconstrictor drugs, antiulcer drugs, anesthetic drugs, antidepressant drugs, tranquilizer and sedative drugs, antipsychotic drugs, antimicrobial drugs, antineoplastic drugs, cytocidal agents, anti-estrogens, and antimetabolites.

19. The complex of claim 1 , wherein said receptor interacts with said drug.