Selected peptide-based fluorescent probes for biological applications.

To understand the molecular interactions, present in living organisms and their environments, chemists are trying to create novel chemical tools. In this regard, peptide-based fluorescence techniques have attracted immense interest. Synthetic peptide-based fluorescent probes are advantageous over protein-based sensors, since they are synthetically accessible, more stable, and can be easily modified in a site-specific manner for selective biological applications. Peptide receptors labeled with environmentally sensitive/FRET fluorophores have allowed direct detection/monitoring of biomolecules in aqueous media and in live cells. In this review, key peptide-based approaches for different biological applications are presented.