Reaction-based fluorescent probes for sulfane sulfur and the application in bioimaging
Reaction-based fluorescent probes are provided which detect, for example, biologically important sulfane sulfur species (persulfide, polysulfide, and elemental sulfur) in, for example, complex and living systems. The probes are high in selectivity and sensitivity to sulfane sulfurs. Moreover, probes are suitable for bioimaging sulfane sulfurs in living cells.
1. A fluorescent probe comprising:
a linker;
a nucleophile;
a fluorophore;
said fluorescent probe having the formula
wherein
the fluorophore is
2. The fluorescent probe of claim 1 wherein the linker is:
3. The fluorescent probe of claim 1 wherein the nucleophile is selected from the group consisting of —SH, —SeH, —OH, —SO 2 H, —CH 2 CN, and —CH(CN)CO 2 R C , wherein R C is selected from the group consisting of substituted alkyl, unsubstituted alkyl, substituted aryl and unsubstituted aryl.
4. The fluorescent probe of claim 2 wherein the nucleophile is —SH.
5. The fluorescent probe of claim 1 the wherein the chemical structure of the fluorescent probe is
6. The fluorescent probe of claim 1 wherein said fluorescent probe is non-fluorescent until it reacts with sulfur atoms in sulfane sulfurs, and upon reaction with said sulfur atoms the fluorescent probe releases the fluorophore which provides a fluorescent indication of binding said sulfur atoms.
7. The fluorescent probe of claim 1 wherein said fluorescent probe releases
on reacting with said sulfur atoms.