Photochemical labelling of nucleic acids with digoxigenin reagents and their use in gene probe test systems

Claim 1

A labeling reagent of the formula: Dig--S--Fu wherein Dig represents a digoxigenin derivative of the formula: ##STR10## in which L represents COO--, S--, NH-- or O--; S represents a spacer selected from the group consisting of spacers of the formulae: ##STR11## in which R represents H, alkyl or alkoxy each having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, or aryl; x represents a number between 2 and 7; and y represents a number between 3 and 10; or a combination of such spacers; and Fu represents a furocoumarin derivative selected from the group consisting of angelicin derivatives of the formula: ##STR12## in which R 1 , R 2 and R 3 independently represent H or alkyl having 1 to 7 carbon atoms; and R 4 represents H, alkyl having 1 to 7 carbon atoms and optionally substituted with hydroxyl, alkoxy having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, amino, halogen, or N-phthalimido; and psoralen derivatives of the formula: ##STR13## in which R 1 , R 3 and R 4 are as indicated above; and R 6 represents H or alkyl having 1 to 7 carbon atoms; and R 2 , and R 5 independently represent H, hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbo-C 1 -C 7 -alkoxy or alkoxy having 1 to 7 carbon atoms.