Understanding the diversity of dynamic structures and functions of DNA and RNA in biology requires tools that can selectively and intimately probe these biomolecules. Synthetic fluorescent nucleobases that can be incorporated into nucleic acids alongside their natural counterparts have emerged as a powerful class of molecular reporters of location and environment. They are enabling new basic insights into DNA and RNA, and are facilitating a broad range of new technologies with chemical, biological and biomedical applications. In this Review, we will present a brief history of the development of fluorescent nucleobases and explore their utility as tools for addressing questions in biophysics, biochemistry and biology of nucleic acids. We provide chemical insights into the two main classes of these compounds: canonical and non-canonical nucleobases. A point-by-point discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of both types of fluorescent nucleobases is made, along with a perspective into the future challenges and outlook for this burgeoning field.

要了解生物学中DNA和RNA的动态结构和功能的多样性，就需要能够选择性和紧密地探测这些生物分子的工具。可以与天然配体一起掺入核酸的合成荧光核碱基已成为一类强大的位置和环境分子报告分子。它们使人们对DNA和RNA有了新的基本见解，并为化学，生物和生物医学应用领域的各种新技术提供了便利。在本综述中，我们将简要介绍荧光核碱基的发展历史，并探讨其作为解决核酸生物物理学，生物化学和生物学问题的工具的实用性。我们提供了有关这些化合物的两个主要类别的化学见解：规范性和非规范性核碱基。