Themed collection Chemosensors and Molecular Logic

Recent progress in the development of small-molecule double-locked logic gate fluorescence probes.

Cages at work: structural tunability results in tailored properties, which makes these systems suitable for countless applications in sensing and separation processes, both in solution and the solid state.

This review critically examines the use of Ln³⁺-based molecular logic systems and discusses their potential integration into future molecular photonic-electronic hybrid systems.

Biomarkers are essential in biology, physiology, and pharmacology; thus, their detection is of extensive importance.

The feature article outlines the design concept for the construction of “turn-on” fluorescent receptors for anions using fluorescent pH probes. Applications of this concept for the construction of fluorescent receptors for anions are described.

In this review article, we have highlighted the recent advancements in the design of fluorescence chemosensors for sensing ammonia both in the solution and vapor phases.

We report a new method to generate ion-responsive luminescent hydrogels, involving encapsulation of a luminescent lanthanide probe within crosslinked amphiphilic polymer particles and subsequent entrapment within a hydrogel.

Despite the apparent copious fluorescent probes targeting mitochondria, the development of low cytotoxic probes is still needed. We have newly developed a novel NIR mitochondrial probe that exhibits low toxicity.

Hydrogelation of a KLVFF peptide equipped with a C-terminal cysteine residue was realized at a concentration of 0.05 wt% in the presence of Ag⁺.

A sensor cocktail, composed of two fluorescent dyes, NBD-B2 and Styryl-51F, selectively senses nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) over citric acid through their ratiometric fluorescence changes.

A novel fluorescent sensor composed of bis-hydrazino naphthalimide decorated with a pillar[5]arene motif demonstrated highly selective fluorescent sensing of nonanal and octanal via self-assembled supramolecular polymeric nanoparticles.

Unlabelled bacterial lectin LecA causes enhancement of terbium(III)-centred emission from glycoconjugate, with sensing driven by the lectin's selective carbohydrate-binding.

A simple yet powerful D–A type-based NIR-II fluorophore (MTF) with mitochondria targeting was constructed.

A self-assembled ratiometric chemosensor, which was prepared by simply mixing an off-the-shelf catechol fluorophore and an off-the-shelf phenylboronic acid derivative, has achieved pattern recognition of metal ions in river water.

Bis-tridentate (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)picolinamide (tzpa) was used to form Tb(III) double- and triple-stranded di-metallic helicates in solution, where changes in the absorption and the Tb(III) emission were used to monitor the formation of these supramolecular systems.

We propose an intramolecular synergistic counteracting strategy of fluorescence resonance energy transfer and the inner filter effect for accurate photoactivation monitoring, to eliminate the influence of the biological microenvironment.

A turn-on isatin receptor based naphthalimide fluorescent probe encapsulated in PEG was used to rapidly detect peroxynitrite in cells.

A heavy-atom-free photosensitizer (CI) showed strong singlet oxygen generation, efficient photodynamic therapy and fluorescence bioimaging under two-photon excitation.

A 3-pyrazolinyl-naphthalimide is demonstrated as a wavelength-reconfigurable dual-output logic gate that emits orange light on binding Na⁺ and white light on binding Mg²⁺.

The encapsulation of a lanthanide-based probe in liposomes allows monitoring of fluoride transmembrane transport using time-resolved emission spectroscopy, which makes it possible study fluorescent transporters.

New Eu(III)-based indicators enable luminescence-based detection of polyphosphate-bound Mg²⁺ species, a highly dynamic pool of biomolecule-bound magnesium in cells.

A photoactive supramolecular five-component system mimics essential features of the natural vision process.

SERS microsensors (SERS-MS) are polymer microparticles coated in gold nanoparticles and functionalised with mercaptobenzoic acid. SERS-MS were incorporated into human airway organoids to measured pH optically.

An inexpensive, fast and portable plasmonic immuno-sandwich assay (PISA) based on two molecularly imprinted and cladded polymers (cMIPs) was developed for high-specificity and ultra-sensitive quantitation of C-peptide in urine.

Combining γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and pH dual-responsive sites, an “and” logic gate-based NIR fluorescent probe Si-NH₂-Glu was developed for orthotopic breast tumor imaging.

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in the endoplasmic reticulum of living systems could be imaged using probe ER-Nap-NBD.

Here, we describe the design of a molecular probe (NB-ALA) based on the Nile Blue fluorophore, which can detect alanine aminopeptidase enzyme (a kidney damage biomarker) in urine by simple fluorometric measurements.

The helicity of the supramolecular porphyrin polymers was determined by the chirality of solvent molecules, which permitted the polymer chains to be used in chiral sensing.

Sequential azide/diyne cycloadditions proved highly effective for the macrocyclization of a bis-azido aza-dipyrrin.

A reliable and portable TDR-PGM nanomachine was facilely constructed for highly sensitive detection of miRNA by integrating the entropy-driven TDR amplifier and the catalytic invertase biocatalyst.

The fluorescent probe SiR-FH realized real-time monitoring of HClO in the brains of mice with LPS-induced neuroinflammation.

An endoplasmic reticulum targeting NIR fluorescent probe (ERBM) was developed for real-time monitoring of carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) and exhibited excellent ER location in living cell imaging.

A quinoxaline-fused octaphyrin(2.0.0.0.2.0.0.0) was synthesized by the FeCl₃-induced oxidative coupling of an α-free quinoxaline-fused tetrapyrrole.

A near-infrared fluorescent probe ENBO-ML210 was developed. In vitro and in vivo imaging results showed that it could target and visualize GPX4 in H1299 cells, exhibiting the potential for diagnosis of non-small lung cancer.

A dynamic reversible phenylboronic acid sensor for real-time determination of protein–carbohydrate interactions on living cancer cells.

Atmospheric water adsorbed hygroscopically with changes in relative humidity triggers changes in fluorescence emission wavelength for a charged fluorophore leading to three-state fluorescence hydrochromic switching in the solid state.

We report on a superoxide anion (O₂˙⁻) responsive fluorescent probe called TCF-OTf.

An activatable probe for detecting acute inflammation has been developed. Nitrosation turns electron-donating methylamine into electron-withdrawing methyl-N-nitroso with turn-on NIR-II fluorescence and optoacoustic signals for imaging.

We developed new cell-membrane-anchored fluorescent probes for viscosity detection. Probe MYN-BS has been successfully applied in the monitoring of cell membrane viscosity during temperature change and cell foaming.

A new bioconjugate based on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)-homing SIWV tetrapeptide and an ROS-responsive prodrug is disclosed.

We report a fluorescent probe strategy that provides the potential to detect and discriminate hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite in cells.

A pyridone-based hydrazone probe Sth-NH is established for monitoring the lower lysosomal pH of cancer cells via a turn-on fluorescence mode.

The occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is the main cause of a variety of biological processes that are closely related to numerous diseases.

NAN0-N₃ and NAN6-N₃ could monitor DNA damage induced by the overexpression of H₂S.

A red-NIR turn-on fluorescent probe has been developed for rapid, sensitive and colorimetric detection of toxic acrolein.

Two new deep-blue narrowband multi-resonant emitters, 1B-DTACrs and 2B-DTACrs, one of which shows TADF, based on boron, nitrogen, and oxygen doped nanographenes are reported.