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Designing dynamic assemblies in living cells is crucial for creating organelle‐like structures, yet precisely controlling their morphological transitions in response to specific signals is a significant challenge. In this study, a DNA framework is combined with hybridization chain reaction (HCR) to achieve specific assembly of hyperbranched aggregates in cancer cells. HCR, distinguished for its signal amplification and linear extension capabilities, enables the morphological transition of precursors to be specifically triggered by trace amounts of endogenous microRNA‐21 (miR‐21). The spatial constraints of the framework and the diversity of hairpin orientations significantly accelerate the assembly kinetics of hyperbranched networks, and the resulting micrometer‐scale aggregates possess enhanced intracellular retention capabilities. Introducing Ce6 molecules as a proof of concept, the regulatory function of aggregates can be activated under light irradiation and remains effective over a long period. The probe we constructed  demonstrates good stability and biocompatibility, offers easy functionalization, and works inside cells long‐term, making it an ideal candidate material for the construction of organelle‐like structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of white‐light emitters is of great importance in practical applications but is challenging for metal nanoclusters. Herein, arginine (Arg)‐mediated copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) assemblies with white‐light emission (WLE) are reported for the first time. The multidentate ligand, Arg, not only effectively tailors the high stability and locally‐excited emission (LES) of aqueous phase Cu NCs, but also bridges 1‐naphthalenol methylcarbamate (NMC) to generate a blue emitter via through‐space interactions (TSIs), resulting in a stable mixed light. Density functional theory calculation and mass spectrum further confirm that Arg can allow for the formation of strong hydrogen‐bonds with the ligand 2,4‐diaminotoluene of Cu NCs, and formation of TSIs‐based complexes with NMC. More importantly, pure white‐light emission (WLE) with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairagecoordination (0.30, 0.31) is observed by regulating the ratio between Arg and the interfacial ligand of NMC. The findings not only provide a new perspective for the construction of WLE emitters via interface modification chemistry but also open a window to gain insight into the mechanism of interface engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unrestrained use of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium lauryl sulfonate (SLS) in industry, agriculture and household are causing its subsequent accumulation in waterways, which can cause the adverse effect on various living organisms, especially aquatic organisms. Therefore, an efficient and rapid technique to detect SDS and SLS in the environment is urgently demanded. Herein, a novel far-ultraviolet emission carbon nanoparticles (FCNPs, quantum yield of ∼15.47%) with positive charges was synthesized by one-pot simple hydrothermal route using 5-hydroxytryptamine as the precursor, and applied to the detection of SDS and SLS. When the exposure to SDS and SLS, the FCNPs displayed anionic detergent-sensitive fluorescent quenching. The mechanism was proved to be that enrichment-positive charge of –NH 3 + groups can strongly combine with negatively charged SDS/SLS molecules through electrostatic adsorption, resulting in luminescent quenching of FCNPs via photoinduced-electron transfer mechanism. By using this sensing platform, there are two good linear relationships between the quenching degree of the FCNPs and the concentrations of SDS and SLS in the range of 5.0 nM–50 μM and 2.5 nM to 50 μM with almost the same LOD of ∼2.5 nM, respectively. Moreover, this sensing platform has been successfully applied to detect the SDS and SLS in real domestic wastewater samples. Therefore, the electropositive luminescent FCNPs might possess enormously potential utilization in the detection of anionic detergent for environmental protection. • A novel electropositive probe of FCNPs was successfully prepared using simple hydrothermal method. • The prepared FCNPs have been successfully used as environmental probe to detect anionic detergents of SDS and SLS. • Quenching mechanism between FCNPs and anionic detergents were photoinduced-electron transfer mechanism. • The FCNPs-based sensor has been successfully used for the analysis of SDS/SLS in real domestic wastewater samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing versatile metal nanoclusters (NCs) assemblies through noncovalent weak interactions between inter-ligands is a long-standing challenge in interfacial chemistry, while compelling interfacial hydrogen-bond-driven metal NCs assemblies remain unexplored so far. Here, the study reports an amination-ligand o-phenylenediamine-coordinated copper NCs (CuNCs), demonstrating the impact of interfacial hydrogen-bonds (IHBs) motifs on the luminescent behaviors of metal NCs as the alteration of protic solvent. Experimental results supported by theoretical calculation unveil that the flexibility of interfacial ligand and the distance of cuprophilic Cu I ···Cu I interaction between intra-/inter-NCs can be tailored by manipulating the cooperation between the diverse IHBs motifs reconstruction, therewith the IHBs-modulated fundamental structure-property relationships are established. Importantly, by utilizing the IHBs-mediated optical polychromatism of aminated CuNCs, portable visualization of humidity sensing test-strips with fast response is successfully manufactured. This work not only provides further insights into exploring the interfacial chemistry of NCs based on inter-ligands hydrogen-bond interactions, but also offers a new opportunity to expand the practical application for optical sensing of metal NCs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Development of highly efficient, heavy-metal-free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) materials is attractive but still challenging. Herein, we report an aggregation-induced delayed ECL (AIDECL) active organic dot (OD) composed of a tert -butoxy-group-substituted benzophenone-dimethylacridine compound, which shows high ECL efficiency. The resultant ODs exhibit 2.1-fold higher ECL efficiency compared to control AIDECL-active ODs. Molecular stacking combined with theoretical calculations suggests that tert -butoxy groups effectively participate in the intermolecular interactions, further inhibiting the molecular motions in the aggregated states and thus accelerating radiative decay. On the basis of these ODs exhibiting excellent ECL performance, a proof-of-concept biosensor is constructed for the detection of miR-16 associated with Alzheimer's disease, which demonstrates excellent detection ability with the limit of detection of 1.7 fM. This work provides a new approach to improve the ECL efficiency and enriches the fundamental understanding of the structure-property relationship.

Lysosomal acidification is essential for its degradative function, and the flux of H + correlated with that of K + in lysosomes. However, there is little research on their correlation due to the lack of probes that can simultaneously image these two ions. To deeply understand the role of K + in lysosomal acidification, here, we designed and fabricated a nanodevice using a K + -aptamer and two pH-triggered nanoswitches incorporated into a DNA triangular prism (DTP) as a dual signal response platform to simultaneously visualize K + and pH in lysosomes by a fluorescence method. This strategy could conveniently integrate two signal recognition modules into one probe, so as to achieve the goal of sensitive detection of two kinds of signals in the same time and space, which is suitable for the detection of various signals with the correlation of concentration. By co-imaging both K + and H + in lysosomes, we found that the efflux of K + was accompanied by a decrease of pH, which is of great value in understanding lysosomal acidification. Moreover, this strategy also has broad prospects as a versatile optical sensing platform for multiplexed analysis of other biomolecules in living cells.