Patent ID: 7309567

Claim:
A process for constructing a signaling molecule by labeling a biological molecule, which can bind to a targeted partner, said process comprising covalently bonding to a biological molecule a labeling agent, wherein said labeling agent is a fluorescent conjugate comprising an oligonucleotide covalently bonded to a rare-earth metal cryptate, wherein said rare-earth metal cryptate consists of at least one rare-earth metal salt complexed with a macropolycyclic compound of formula I wherein Z is an atom with 3 or 4 valencies, R is absence or is hydrogen, a hydroxy group, an amino group or a hydrocarbon-based radical, and the divalent radicals {circle around (A)}, {circle around (B)} and {circle around (C)}, are each, independently of each other, a hydrocarbon-based chain optionally containing one or more hetero atoms and optionally containing a hetero macrocycle, wherein at least one of the radicals {circle around (A)}, {circle around (B)} and {circle around (C)}, also comprises at least one molecular unit, said molecular unit having a triplet energy which is greater than that of the emission level of the complexed rare-earth metal ion.