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Fluorescence umpolung enables light-up sensing of N-acetyltransferases and nerve agents

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  • Chenxu Yan

    (Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology)

  • Zhiqian Guo

    (Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology)

  • Weijie Chi

    (Singapore University of Technology and Design)

  • Wei Fu

    (Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology)

  • Syed Ali Abbas Abedi

    (Singapore University of Technology and Design)

  • Xiaogang Liu

    (Singapore University of Technology and Design)

  • He Tian

    (Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology)

  • Wei-Hong Zhu

    (Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology)

Abstract

Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) is a fundamental mechanism that enables the development of numerous fluorophores and probes for bioimaging and sensing. However, the electron-withdrawing targets (EWTs)-induced fluorescence quenching is a long-standing and unsolved issue in ICT fluorophores, and significantly limits the widespread applicability. Here we report a simple and generalizable structural-modification for completely overturning the intramolecular rotation driving energy, and thus fully reversing the ICT fluorophores’ quenching mode into light-up mode. Specifically, the insertion of an indazole unit into ICT scaffold can fully amplify the intramolecular rotation in donor-indazole-π-acceptor fluorophores (fluorescence OFF), whereas efficiently suppressing the rotation in their EWT-substituted system (fluorescence ON). This molecular strategy is generalizable, yielding a palette of chromophores with fluorescence umpolung that spans visible and near-infrared range. This strategy expands the bio-analytical toolboxes and allows exploiting ICT fluorophores for light-up sensing of EWTs including N-acetyltransferases and nerve agents.

Suggested Citation

  • Chenxu Yan & Zhiqian Guo & Weijie Chi & Wei Fu & Syed Ali Abbas Abedi & Xiaogang Liu & He Tian & Wei-Hong Zhu, 2021. "Fluorescence umpolung enables light-up sensing of N-acetyltransferases and nerve agents," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24187-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24187-5
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