Molecules 2013, 18, 15357-15397; doi:10.3390/molecules181215357 OPEN ACCESS molecules ISSN 1420-3049 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules Review Fluorescent Probes for Nucleic Acid Visualization in Fixed and Live Cells Alexandre S. Boutorine 1,*, Darya S. Novopashina 2, Olga A. Krasheninina 2,3, Karine Nozeret 1 and Alya G. Venyaminova 2 1 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, UMR 7196, INSERM, U565, 57 rue Cuvier, B.P. 26, Paris Cedex 05, F-75231, France; E-Mail:
[email protected] 2 Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, Lavrentyev Ave., 8, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; E-Mails:
[email protected] (D.S.N.);
[email protected] (O.A.K.);
[email protected] (A.G.V.) 3 Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova Str., 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail:
[email protected]; Tel.: +33-1-40-79-36-96; Fax: +33-1-40-79-37-05. Received: 23 September 2013; in revised form: 20 November 2013 / Accepted: 5 December 2013 / Published: 11 December 2013 Abstract: This review analyses the literature concerning non-fluorescent and fluorescent probes for nucleic acid imaging in fixed and living cells from the point of view of their suitability for imaging intracellular native RNA and DNA. Attention is mainly paid to fluorescent probes for fluorescence microscopy imaging. Requirements for the target-binding part and the fluorophore making up the probe are formulated. In the case of native double-stranded DNA, structure-specific and sequence-specific probes are discussed.