A Naphthalimide‐Based Fluorescence “Turn‐On” Probe for the Detection of Pb2+ in Aqueous Solution and Living Cells

An easily available naphthalimide‐based fluorescent probe NPA for Pb²⁺ detection was successfully developed. NPA exhibited an obvious fluorescence turn‐on response toward Pb²⁺ in aqueous solution and in living cells. Moreover, a series of model compounds were rationally designed and synthesized in order to explore the sensing mechanism and binding mode of NPA with Pb²⁺.     

A Highly Sensitive Quinoline-Containing Rhodamine B Thiohydrazide Based Fluorescent Probe for Hg2+ in Aqueous Solution and Living Cells

Quinoline-appended rhodamine B thiohydrazide based fluorescent probe was designed and applied in fluorescent detections of mercury ions in both aqueous solution and living cells. The signal change of the probe is based on a specific metal ion induced reversible ring-opening mechanism of a rhodamine B thiohydrazide. The probe exhibits a dynamic response concentration range for Hg²⁺ from 1.0 × 10^?8 to 1.0 × 10^?5 M with a detection limit of 8.5 × 10^?9 M. The fluorescent probe is pH independent in medium condition and exhibits high selectivity over other common metal ions.     

纯水中检测汞离子与银离子的菲啰啉类荧光探针

合成了菲啰啉类化合物探针1,并通过核磁共振波谱(NMR)、质谱(MS)、红外光谱(IR)对其结构进行了表征。利用荧光发射光谱考察了探针1对Hg~(2+)及Ag~+的识别性能。结果表明,探针1在纯水介质中以荧光猝灭的方式识别Hg~(2+)和Ag~+,其结合比分别为1∶1和2∶1,检测的线性范围分别为9.0×10~(-7)～1.1×10~(-5)和8.0×10~(-7)～7.0×10~(-6) mol/L,相关系数(r~2)均大于0.99,检出限均低至10~(-8)mol/L。根据探针1识别前后荧光强度的剧烈变化,建立了裸眼检测Hg~(2+)和Ag~+的可视化分析方法。通过等温量热滴定与~1H NMR滴定考察了识别过程的热力学参数和作用机理。该研究对生物体及环境领域中Hg~(2+)和Ag~+的实时监测具有潜在的应用价值。     

A Coumarin-boronic Based Fluorescent “ON-OFF” Probe for Hg2+ in Aqueous Solution

In this work, we reported a simple coumarin-boronic acid ester fluorescent probe 1 , which displayed very high “ON-OFF” fluorescence response for Hg²⁺ in an aqueous environment (H₂O/CH₃CN = 1:1, v/v) or in a PBS solution (pH = 7.4). With the addition of Hg²⁺ to the solution of probe, a color change from light yellow to orange could be observed by naked eye. The detection limits were lower than the permitted level of Hg²⁺ in drinking water defined by WHO. Infrared spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy and ¹H NMR titration studies showed that probe 1 formed a 1:1 complex with Hg²⁺. In addition, the probe was non-toxic to cells and could stain specifically the membrane region surrounding the HeLa cell.     

Low‐molecular‐weight organogelators as functional materials for oil spill remediation

Oil spills from tankers are one of the major types of man‐made disasters that impact the marine environment, and they have been shown to have long‐lasting effects. On prevention of the spread of oil through rapid cleanup of spills, low‐molecular‐weight organogelators have received much attention because of their ability to tune their properties through rational design. In this mini‐review, I present a brief summary of studies focused on the remediation of oil spills via a chemical method, which involves the use of low‐molecular‐weight organogelators that form organogels with fuel oils or organic solvents. Moreover, recent attempts to create new improved molecular organogels composed of commercially available simple organogelators via a mixing induced enhancement method for solidifying oil are also discussed. In addition, polymer organogelators for oil spills are discussed in relation to low‐molecular weight gelators. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Novel and Simple Molecular Probe Sensing Hg(II) in Living Cells by Chelation‐enhanced Fluorescence

Mercury is currently widely used in industries which leads to various means of Hg(II) waste exposure and its accumulation in organisms will cause neurological damages. Thus, there is a great need for the design of probes or sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity for detecting and monitoring Hg(II) at physiological pH. Thus a novel and simple molecular probe P1 was prepared from 1,1′‐(1,3‐phenylene)‐bis(2,4‐pentanedionato) for sensing Hg(II) via chelation‐enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) mechanism. The probe indicated a selectively fluorescent response to Hg(II) in aqueous media excited by the ultraviolet light of 254 nm. The recognition mechanism was further studied by semi‐empirical AM1 and molecular mechanics MM+ methods in HyperChem 8.0. The calculation indicated a tetrahedron coordination geometry for Hg(II) and a chair‐like configuration for the total molecule. The fluorescent images sensing Hg(II) in living mouse fibroblast cells by the probe were obtained by fluorescence microscope.     

An Iminocoumarin Sulfonamide Based Turn‐On Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of Biothiols in Aqueous Solution

A new chemodosimeter for the highly selective sensing and imaging of biothiols was designed and realized in phosphate‐buffered saline solution at pH 7.4 through a fluorescence “off–on” response. A unique mechanism featuring a two‐step cascade (biothiols→H₂O) sequence for this remarkable recognition is disclosed for the first time.     

Highly Effective Fluorescent Sensor for Hg2+ in Aqueous Solution

A new anthracene fluorophore senses Hg²⁺ selectively in aqueous solution. Among the metal ions examined, fluorescent chemosensor 1 shows selective large CHEQ effects with Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺ at pH 7.     

罗丹明类钯离子荧光分子探针

将烯丙基结构引入到罗丹明螺环中, 合成了荧光增强型钯离子探针RPd4. RPd4表现出对Pd²⁺的专一选择性和对其它阳离子良好的抗干扰能力. 探针荧光强度随着Pd²⁺的加入逐渐增强, 并且在微摩尔级呈现良好的线性关系, 通过拟合计算得到对Pd²⁺的检出限为0.51 μmol/L. RPd4具有较低的pK_a值(3.81±0.02), 说明该探针可以在近中性pH范围内对Pd²⁺进行选择性识别. 该探针还可以提供比色及荧光两种方式对Pd²⁺进行可视化检测.     

一种用于活体细胞Zn2+检测的高灵敏度比例计量荧光探针

无论是在水溶液还是乙腈溶液中,2-PBI(2-(2′-吡啶基)苯并咪唑)的发射光谱都表现出一定的红移,但由于该分子对Zn2+低的结合能力以及多变的配位比例,2-PBI不能作为一个比例计量型的Zn2+荧光探针。本研究通过在2-PBI的5位引入推电子基团N,N-二甲基,增加探针的配位原子数同时促进探针的ICT效应,设计合成比例计量型Zn^2+荧光探针DBITA。实验结果表明,除了172 nm的大斯托克斯位移外,DBITA还表现出特定的Zn^2+诱导的红移,发射波长从534 nm红移到609 nm,DBITA与Zn^2+以1∶1比例结合。此外,DBITA对Zn^2+表现出极高的亲和力,配合物DBITA/Zn^2+结合的Kd值为0.16 pmol·L^-1。在HeLa细胞中,DBITA完成了细胞内的Zn^2+的定量造影。     

基于Hg2+诱导DNA双链形成的荧光增强法检测Hg2+

基于Hg2+与胸腺嘧啶(T)形成“T-Hg2+-T”结构的原理建立了一种简单、灵敏的荧光增强法检测H92+的方法.两条部分互补的富含T碱基的ssDNA在常温下分别以单链状态存在.当加入Hg2+,由于T-Hg2+-T键的形成,两条ssDNA形成DNA双螺旋结构,溶液中荧光分子溴化乙锭(EB)嵌入DNA双螺旋结构,EB荧光...     

Cross‐Reactive Sensor Arrays for the Detection of Peptides in Aqueous Solution by Fluorescence Spectroscopy

A simple but powerful method for the sensing of peptides in aqueous solution has been developed. The transition‐metal complexes [PdCl₂(en)], [{RhCl₂Cp*}₂], and [{RuCl₂(p‐cymene)}₂] were combined with six different fluorescent dyes to build a cross‐reactive sensor array. The fluorescence response of the individual sensor units was based on competitive complexation reactions between the peptide analytes and the fluorescent dyes. The collective response of the sensor array in a time‐resolved fashion was used as an input for multivariate analyses. A sensor array comprised of only six metal–dye combinations was able to differentiate ten different dipeptides in buffered aqueous solution at a concentration of 50 μM . Furthermore, the cross‐reactive sensor could be used to obtain information about the identity and the quantity of the pharmacologically interesting dipeptides carnosine and homocarnosine in a complex biological matrix, such as deproteinized human blood serum. The sensor array was also able to sense longer peptides, which was demonstrated by differentiating mixtures of the nonapeptide bradykinin and the decapeptide kallidin.     

一种基于苯并噁唑类的可视化检测汞离子的荧光探针

设计合成了一种用于检测Hg²⁺的苯并噁唑类荧光探针4-(苯并[d]噁唑-2-基)-2-((二(2-(乙巯基)乙基)氨基)甲基)苯酚(ZY1), 用质谱、核磁氢谱和X射线单晶衍射等方法对其进行了结构表征, 并考察了其光谱性能. 研究结果表明, ZY1对Hg²⁺有较高的选择性和灵敏度, 它们之间的结合比为1:1, 共存离子及pH值(3.0～9.0)对其测定影响小. ZY1能够可视化检测Hg²⁺, 并在HeLa活细胞中实现了汞离子的成像, 这对检测生物体内的Hg²⁺将具有潜在的应用价值.     

基于DNA和小沟结合染料DAPI快速检测水样中Hg2+

设计了一条DNA序列作为专一识别Hg2+的探针,结合小沟结合染料DAPI,构建了一种新型无标记荧光降低型核酸适体传感器。无Hg2+时DNA折叠成稳定的茎-环结构,DAPI插入茎部位有强荧光发射;Hg2+存在时DNA发生结构转变,DAPI释放荧光降低。结果表明:在最佳实验条件下,体系荧光降低百分数和Hg2+浓度正相关,在较低的浓度范围(0.5~50 nmol/L)仍呈良好的线性关系,实际检出限为0.5 nmol/L。该方法操作简单、对于环境水样中Hg2+的快速实时检测具有潜在的应用前景。     

Characterization of a Hg2+-Selective Fluorescent Probe Based on Rhodamine B and Its Imaging in Living Cells

A small organic molecule P was synthesized and characterized as a fluorometric and colorimetric dual-modal probe for Hg²⁺. The sensing characteristics of the proposed probe for Hg²⁺ were studied in detail. A fluorescent enhancing property at 583 nm (>30 fold) accompanied with a visible colorimetric change, from colorless to pink, was observed with the addition of Hg²⁺ to P in an ethanol-water solution (8:2, v/v, 20 mM HEPES, pH 7.0), which would be helpful to fabricate Hg²⁺-selective probes with “naked-eye” and fluorescent detection. Meanwhile, cellular experimental results demonstrated its low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility, and the application of P for imaging of Hg²⁺ in living cells was satisfactory.     

Bulk Aggregation Based Fluorescence Turn‐On Sensors for Selective Detection of Progesterone in Aqueous Solution

Steroids are polycyclic compounds that share tetracyclic ring as core scaffold, and selective detection of a steroid is challenging owing to their structural similarities. The discovery of chemosensors that recognize progesterone by alteration of self‐aggregation state is described, and these show significant fluorescence turn‐on. A self‐aggregated 48‐membered dansyl library was screened against a series of metabolites in aqueous buffer and discovered two compounds ( PG‐1 , PG‐2 ) exhibited exceptional selectivity for progesterone. Following studies of aggregation properties of probes using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy supports progesterone recognition lead to the generation of bulk aggregates that induce fluorescence enhancement. Though many fluorescence sensing mechanisms have been proposed, a sensing mode based on the bulk aggregate formation of fluorophore has never been reported, and this may open a new avenue of chemosensor design.     

Tb~(3+)配合物修饰的磁性纳米荧光探针对水中Cu~(2+)的超灵敏检测

合成了一种Tb~(3+)配合物修饰的磁性纳米荧光探针cs124-DTPA-NH-PEGDBI-Fe3O4∶Tb。该复合荧光探针与Cu~(2+)有很强的结合能力,Cu~(2+)对Tb~(3+)配合物修饰的磁性纳米荧光探针具有荧光猝灭作用。实验表明,该复合荧光探针稳定性良好且有很好的水溶性,可在较宽的pH范围(5.0~10.0)快速检测Cu~(2+)。此外,在竞争实验中发现,该纳米荧光探针能够实现对溶液中Cu~(2+)的超灵敏和选择性检测而对其他多种常见离子响应较小,对Cu~(2+)的检测限甚至可达到1nmol/L。     

Low‐molecular‐weight color pI markers to monitor on‐line the peptide focusing process in OFFGEL fractionation

High‐throughput mass spectrometry‐based proteomic analysis requires peptide fractionation to simplify complex biological samples and increase proteome coverage. OFFGEL fractionation technology became a common method to separate peptides or proteins using isoelectric focusing in an immobilized pH gradient. However, the OFFGEL focusing process may be further optimized and controlled in terms of separation time and pI resolution. Here we evaluated OFFGEL technology to separate peptides from different samples in the presence of low‐molecular‐weight (LMW) color pI markers to visualize the focusing process. LMW color pI markers covering a large pH range were added to the peptide mixture before OFFGEL fractionation using a 24‐wells device encompassing the pH range 3–10. We also explored the impact of LMW color pI markers on peptide fractionation labeled previously for iTRAQ. Then, fractionated peptides were separated by RP_HPLC prior to MS analysis using MALDI‐TOF/TOF mass spectrometry in MS and MS/MS modes. Here we report the performance of the peptide focusing process in the presence of LMW color pI markers as on‐line trackers during the OFFGEL process and the possibility to use them as pI controls for peptide focusing. This method improves the workflow for peptide fractionation in a bottom‐up proteomic approach with or without iTRAQ labeling.