Herein is described a means of real-time labeling of any polymer during its synthesis, especially proteins and nucleic acids, utilizing monomers conjugated to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) dyes.

Figure 1 exemplifies the process.

Therein we start with a primed, synthetic nucleic acid template wherein two bases, G and C, are positioned adjacent one another. Their spacing of course could be altered. We next provide polymerase, dATP, dTTP, and FRET dye-conjugated dGTP and dCTP.

Figure 2 shows a derivation of the process using unnatural nucleotides.

In addition to the obvious utility in real-time labeling of nucleic acid amplification products, this process also has utility in synthesizing primers and probes. Also, it may be found that even using complex target sequences such as a mRNA results in a polymer wherein adjacent FRET dyes are sufficiently formed and functional.

Provisional claim:

Reference

Addendum 4/20/05:

Someone has kindly pointed out a relatively new and interesting technology utilizing what is called an Exciplex, which also only functions to emit a signal when the ligands are adjacent (1).

Of course any combination of ligands which can be incorporated into a polymerizable nucleotides, and which when adjacent functions (alone or in combination with a ligand binder) to emit a signal, could obviously be used in the process described above.

Other examples are conceivable, for example one ligand could be biotin, to which a particular protein, such as an enzyme or fluorescent protein bound.
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Addendum, 5/15/05:

Highly relevant prior art.

A new approach to SNP genotyping with fluorescently labeled mononucleotides.
Takatsu, et al Nucleic Acids Res. 2004; 32(7): e60