Methods for detecting dithio-containing proteins using quenched fluorophores conjugated to peptides via linkers containing dithio groups
Disclosed are dithio compounds that include a quenched fluorophore and a non-fluorophore peptide linked via a dithio bond to the fluorophore. The dithio compounds may be used in methods for detecting thiol-containing compounds or dithio-containing compounds. The dithio compounds also may be used as cellular probes where the peptide portion of the compounds targets the compounds to a specific cellular location.
1. A method for detecting a dithio-containing protein, the method comprising:
(A) reacting the dithio-containing protein with a dithio-reagent having a formula F—S—S—P to form a reaction product, wherein F comprises a quenched fluorophore and P comprises a peptide and the reaction product comprises the fluorophore and the fluorophore is dequenched in the reaction product; and
(B) detecting the reaction product via detecting an increase in fluorescence from the dequenched fluorophore.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dithio-reagent has a formula: