Interaction-Dependent Secondary Structure of Peptides in Biomolecular Condensates.

Biomolecular condensates provide a mechanism for compartmentalization of biomolecules in eukaryotic cells. These liquid-like condensates are formed via liquid-liquid phase separation, by a plethora of interactions, and can mediate several biological processes in healthy cells. Expansions of dipeptide repeat proteins, DPRs, in which arginine rich DPRs like poly-proline-arginine (PR), and poly-glycine-arginine (GR), partition RNA into condensates can however induce cell toxicity.

Charge Transfer-Promoted Excited State of a Heavy-Atom-Free Photosensitizer for Efficient Application of Mitochondria-Targeted Fluorescence Imaging and Hypoxia Photodynamic Therapy.

Conventional photosensitizers (PSs) used in photodynamic therapy (PDT) have shown preliminary success; however, they are often associated with several limitations including potential dark toxicity in healthy tissues, limited efficacy under acidic and hypoxic conditions, suboptimal fluorescence imaging capabilities, and nonspecific targeting during treatment. In response to these challenges, we developed a heavy-atom-free PS, denoted as , by incorporating ethyl carbazole into a thiophene-fused BODIPY core. A comprehensive investigation into the photophysical properties of was conducted through a synergistic approach involving experimental and computational investigations.

Simultaneous Detection of Hypochlorite and Singlet Oxygen by a Thiocoumarin-Based Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe.

The development of fluorescent probes derived from thiocarbonyl compounds for reactive oxygen species has been actively pursued in recent years. However, a better understanding of the optical response behaviors of thiocarbonyl compounds toward reactive oxygen species remains a challenge. Along with this, further studies to overcome the limitation of a single emission channel and aggregation-caused quenching features of thiocarbonyl-based fluorescent probes are highly desirable.

Rational Molecular Design of Efficient Heavy-Atom-Free Photosensitizers for Cancer Photodynamic Therapy.

Photodynamic therapy has emerged as a promising modality for treatment of cancer due to its minimal invasiveness and high selectivity. However, development of advanced photosensitizers (PSs) for clinical translation of photodynamic therapy remains challenging. To overcome the limitations of common photosensitizers containing heavy atoms, we herein developed highly effective heavy-atom-free photosensitizers based on strong donor-π-acceptor-type structures (PTZ-CN and PXZ-CN) for bioimaging and photodynamic ablation of cancer.

A coumarin-based reversible two-photon fluorescence probe for imaging glutathione near -methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors.

Glutathione (GSH) is known to play a key role in the modulation of the redox environment in -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Coumarin derivative 1 bearing cyanoacrylamide and ifenprodil moieties was synthesized and reported to monitor GSH near NMDA receptors. The cyanoacrylamide moiety allows probe 1 to monitor GSH reversibly at pH 7.