Grafting polyethylenimine with quinoline derivatives for targeted imaging of intracellular Zn(2+) and logic gate operations.
In this study, a highly sensitive and selective fluorescent Zn(2+) probe which exhibited excellent biocompatibility, water solubility, and cell-membrane permeability, was facilely synthesized in a single step by grafting polyethyleneimine (PEI) with quinoline derivatives. The primary amino groups in the branched PEI can increase water solubility and cell permeability of the probe PEIQ, while quinoline derivatives can specifically recognize Zn(2+) and reduce the potential cytotoxicity of PEI. Basing on fluorescence off-on mechanism, PEIQ demonstrated excellent sensing capability towards Zn(2+) in absolute aqueous solution, where a high sensitivity with a detection limit as low as 38.1nM, and a high selectivity over competing metal ions and potential interfering amino acids, were achieved. Inspired by these results, elementary logic operations (YES, NOT and INHIBIT) have been constructed by employing PEIQ as the gate while Zn(2+) and EDTA as chemical inputs. Together with the low cytotoxicity and good cell-permeability, the practical application of PEIQ in living cell imaging was satisfactorily demonstrated, emphasizing its wide application in fundamental biology research.
Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments (Guangdong Province), School of Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yi
Y
Pan
Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments (Guangdong Province), School of Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yupeng
Y
Shi
Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments (Guangdong Province), School of Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Junying
J
Chen
Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments (Guangdong Province), School of Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Chap-Mo
CM
Wong
Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments (Guangdong Province), School of Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Heng
H
Zhang
Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, Ministry of Education and Fujian Province, Department of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China.
Mei-Jin
MJ
Li
Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, China.
Cheuk-Wing
CW
Li
Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments (Guangdong Province), School of Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Research Institute of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China. Electronic address: yichq@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Changqing
C
Yi
D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D008128:Logic; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D011804:Quinolines / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
D011804:Quinolines; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D015032:Zinc
Logic gate operations; Polyethylenimine; Quinoline derivative; Zn(2+) fluorescent probe