A Novel "Off-On" Fluorescent Probe Based on Carbon Nitride Nanoribbons for the Detection of Citrate Anion and Live Cell Imaging

Illuminating the cells: transient transformation of citrus to study gene functions and organelle activities related to fruit quality

Although multiple microscopic techniques have been applied to horticultural research, few studies of individual organelles in living fruit cells have been reported to date. In this paper, we established an efficient system for the transient transformation of citrus fruits using an Agrobacterium-mediated method. Kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia Swingle) was used; it exhibits higher transformation efficiency than all citrus fruits that have been tested and a prolonged-expression window. Fruits were transformed with fluorescent reporters, and confocal microscopy and live-cell imaging were used to study their localization and dynamics. Moreover, various pH sensors targeting different subcellular compartments were expressed, and the local pH environments in cells from different plant tissues were compared. The results indicated that vacuoles are most likely the main organelles that contribute to the low pH of citrus fruits. In summary, our method is effective for studying various membrane trafficking events, protein localization, and cell physiology in fruit and can provide new insight into fruit biology research.

Recent progress in developing fluorescent probes for imaging cell metabolites

Cellular metabolites play a crucial role in promoting and regulating cellular activities, but it has been difficult to monitor these cellular metabolites in living cells and in real time. Over the past decades, iterative development and improvements of fluorescent probes have been made, resulting in the effective monitoring of metabolites. In this review, we highlight recent progress in the use of fluorescent probes for tracking some key metabolites, such as adenosine triphosphate, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, cyclic guanosine 5'-monophosphate, Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), reactive oxygen species, sugar, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide for both whole cell and subcellular imaging.

Exonuclease III-Regulated Target Cyclic Amplification-Based Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Detection Using Ultrathin Ternary Chalcogenide Nanosheets

Herein, we report that the ternary chalcogenide nanosheet exhibits different affinity toward oligonucleotides with different lengths and efficiently quenches the fluorescence of dye-labeled DNA probes. Based on these findings, as a proof-of-concept application, the ternary chalcogenide nanosheet is used as a target cyclic amplification biosensor, showing high specificity in discriminating single-base mismatch. This simple strategy is fast and sensitive for the single nucleotide polymorphism detection. Ultralow detection limit of unlabeled target (250 fM) and high discrimination ratio (5%) in the mixture of perfect match (mutant-type) and single-base mismatch (wild-type) target are achieved. This sensing method is extensively compatible for the single nucleotide polymorphism detection in clinical samples, making it a promising tool for the mutation-based clinical diagnostic and genomic research.

Fluorometric determination of quercetin by using graphitic carbon nitride nanoparticles modified with a molecularly imprinted polymer

The authors describe a fluorescent probe for sensitive and selective determination of quercetin, an indicator for the freshness of drinks. The probe consists of silica ball encapsulated graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) modified with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). It was synthesized via reverse microemulsion. The resulting MIP@g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite was characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction. Quercetin quenches the fluorescence of the MIP@g-C₃N₄ probe. The effect was used to quantify quercetin in grape juice, tea juice, black tea, and red wine by fluorometry (λ_exc = 350 nm, λ_em = 460 nm). Response is linear in the 10-1000 ng mL^-1 quercetin concentration range. The detection limit is 2.5 ng mL^-1, recoveries range between 90.7 and 94.1%, and relative standard deviations are between 2.1 and 5.5%. Graphical abstract Schematic of the synthesis of the MIP@g-C₃N₄ by a reverse microemulsion method. The probe was applied for the selective recognition and fluorometric determination of quercetin.