In Vivo Light-Driven DNA Binding and Cellular Uptake of Nucleic Acid Stains

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in ACS Chemical Biology, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/cb300100rChemical derivatization of nucleic stains such as ethidium bromide or DAPI with tailored, photoresponsive caging groups, allows for “on demand” spatiotemporal control of their in vivo nucleic acid binding, as well as for improving their cellular uptake. This effect was particularly noteworthy for a nitro-veratryloxycarbonyl-caged derivative of ethidium bromide that, in contrast with the parent stain, is effectively internalized into living cells. The activation strategy works in light-accessible, therapeutically relevant settings, such as human retinas, and can even be applied for the release of active compounds in the eyes of living miceWe are thankful for support given by the Spanish grants SAF2007-61015, SAF2010-20822-C02, CTQ2009-14431/ BQU, Consolider Ingenio 2010 CSD2007-00006, and the Xunta de Galicia INCITE09 209 084PR, GRC2010/12, PGIDIT08CSA-047209PR. M.I.S. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Education for FPU Ph.D. fellowshipsS