Patent ID: 6225050
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: C07H,C09B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for imparting luminescence to a component which contains or is derivatized to contain an amine, sulfhydryl or hydroxy group in a liquid, said method comprising:adding to a liquid containing said component, wherein said component is selected from the group consisting of proteins, cells, nucleic acids, sugars, carbohydrates and combinations thereof, a luminescent cyanine dye having the structure ##STR18##wherein:the dotted lines each represent carbon atoms necessary for the formation of said cyanine dye, X and Y are selected from the group consisting of O, S and CH.sub.3 --C--CH.sub.3, m is an integer selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3 and 4, and at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.7 contain a reactive group covalently reactive with said amine, sulfhydryl, or hydroxy groups; andreacting said cyanine dye with said component under reaction conditions sufficient for forming a covalent bond between said reactive group and said amine, sulfhydryl, or hydroxy group so that said dye labels said component.