An effective LDs-targeted ratiometric fluorescent probe for sulfur dioxide derivatives.

In this work, a novel FRET-based fluorescent probe (named CBC) was developed to detect bisulfite with outstanding selectivity by ratiometric method. Probe CBC exhibited excellent sensitivity toward HSO 3 − within 1 equivalent. The cell imaging of CBC indicated that it could detect exogenous and endogenous bisulfite with excellent photostability and low cytotoxicity. What's more, probe CBC realized the lipid droplet targeting. Therefore, probe CBC has the capacity to be used as a biological tool to monitor the bisulfite changes in vivo. [Display omitted] • A novel ratiometric fluorescent probe CBC was developed to detect sulfur dioxide derivatives. • CBC had a large Stokes shift of 230 nm and 95.7% energy transfer efficiency. • CBC possessed good selectivity and sensitivity toward sulfur dioxide derivatives. • CBC achieved detection sulfur dioxide derivatives in living cells and targeted lipid droplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]