The invention provides a novel class of {HEAD ~ cyanine dyes} that are functionalized with {TAIL ~ sulfonic acid groups} and a linker moiety that facilitates their conjugation to other species and substituent groups which increase the water solubility, and optimize the optical properties of the dyes 
are functionalized with
The invention provides a novel class of { HEAD ~ cyanine dyes } that are functionalized with { TAIL ~ sulfonic acid groups } and a linker moiety that facilitates their conjugation to other species and substituent groups which increase the water solubility , and optimize the optical properties of the dyes
OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD OTH REL REL REL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH