An excited-state intramolecular photon transfer fluorescence probe for localizable live cell imaging of cysteine

Small molecule probes suitable for selective and specific fluorescence imaging of some important but low-concentration intracellular reactive sulfur species such as cysteine (Cys) pose a challenge in chemical biology. We present a readily available, fast-response fluorescence probe CHCQ-Ac, with 2-(5'-chloro-2-hydroxyl-phenyl)-6-chloro-4(3 H)-quinazolinone (CHCQ) as the fluorophore and acrylate group as the functional moiety, that enables high-selectivity and high-sensitivity for detecting Cys in both solution and biological system. After specifically reacted with Cys, the probe undergoes a seven-membered intramolecular cyclization and released the fluorophore CHCQ with excited-state intramolecular photon transfer effect. A highly fluorescent, insoluble aggregate was then formed to facilitate high-sensitivity and high-resolution imaging. The results showed that probe CHCQ-Ac affords a remarkably large Stokes shift and can detect Cys under physiological pH condition with no interference from other analytes. Moreover, this probe was proved to have excellent chemical stability, low cytotoxicity and good cell permeability. Our design of this probe provides a novel potential tool to visualize and localize cysteine in bioimaging of live cells that would greatly help to explore various Cys-related physiological and pathological cellular processes in cell biology and diagnostics.