Surfactant effect on energy transfer between cationic conjugated polymer and dye-labeled oligonucleotide

We report a convenient and effective method to enhance the signal output of dye-labeled oligonucleotide sensitized by cationic conjugated polymers (CCP). Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) is utilized to regulate the interaction between CCP and dye-labeled single-stranded DNA in order to reduce the dye self-quenching within the CCP/DNA complexes. Improvement of CCP-sensitized dye emissison in the presence of SDS relative to that in the absence of SDS is observed, which reveals the importance of reducing CCP charge density in improving the energy transfer from CCP to dye-labeled probes.