Selective monitoring ATP using a fluorogenic Al(III)-probe complex in aqueous medium

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Aluminum ion (Al3+) detection is crucial in environmental and biological monitoring.
• Development of sensitive and selective fluorescent probes is essential for Al3+ sensing.
• Existing methods for Al3+ detection often lack sensitivity or require complex sample preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, water-soluble, and biocompatible fluorescent probe for Al3+ detection.
• To investigate the sensing mechanism and characterize the probe's performance.
• To demonstrate the probe's utility in bioimaging applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of 8-hydroxyjulolidine-9-aldehyde (HJ) probe.
• Spectroscopic studies (fluorescence, UV-Vis) to evaluate probe response to Al3+.
• Job's plot and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) for binding stoichiometry.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) and TD-DFT calculations for mechanism insights.
• Bioimaging studies in onion epidermal cells and zebrafish.

Main Results:

• HJ probe exhibits a turn-on fluorescence response specifically for Al3+ in aqueous media.
• The probe demonstrates a 1:1 binding stoichiometry with Al3+ and a low limit of detection (5.75 × 10-8 M).
• The HJ-Al3+ complex shows good water solubility and biocompatibility, enabling successful bioimaging.

Conclusions:

• HJ is a highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe for Al3+ detection.
• The probe's mechanism involves specific interaction with Al3+, confirmed by computational studies.
• HJ probe holds promise for real-time Al3+ monitoring and bioimaging in biological systems.