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Published on: July 6, 2016
Bioorthogonally applicable multicolor fluorogenic naphthalimide-tetrazine probes with aggregation-induced emission
Yongcheng Wang1, Yu Teng1, Hong Yang1
1State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Active Substances Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Institute of Materia Medica, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, China. tianyulin@imm.ac.cn.
New naphthalimide-tetrazine probes offer bright, multicolor fluorescence and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) after bioorthogonal reactions. These probes enable efficient, no-wash protein labeling and selective mitochondria imaging in living cells.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Biology
- Organic Chemistry
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Bioorthogonal chemistry enables selective reactions in biological systems.
- Fluorogenic probes offer sensitive detection with low background signals.
- Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials show enhanced luminescence upon aggregation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel naphthalimide-tetrazine based bioorthogonal fluorogenic probes.
- To investigate the influence of structural modifications on probe properties.
- To demonstrate the utility of these probes for live-cell imaging applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a series of naphthalimide-tetrazine derivatives.
- Characterization of photophysical properties including fluorescence enhancement and AIE.
- Evaluation of bioorthogonal reactivity with strained dienophiles.
- Application in no-wash protein labeling and mitochondria imaging in live cells.
Main Results:
- Developed naphthalimide-tetrazine probes exhibiting significant fluorescence enhancement and AIE characteristics.
- Achieved multicolor emissions post bioorthogonal reaction.
- Demonstrated successful no-wash fluorogenic protein labeling.
- Showcased mitochondria-selective bioorthogonal imaging in live cells.
Conclusions:
- Naphthalimide-tetrazine probes are effective bioorthogonal fluorogenic tools.
- Structural manipulation allows tuning of emission and AIE properties.
- These probes provide a versatile platform for advanced live-cell imaging.

