Switching the subcellular organelle targeting of atomically precise gold nanoclusters by modifying the capping ligand

Here, we have achieved the target switching fluorescence imaging and photodynamic activity of hydrosoluble AuNCs from lysosomes to mitochondria through ligand exchange. This work unveils the ligand-regulated subcellular distribution of AuNCs by which new strategies to improve their bio-applications such as precise nanotheranostics could be realized.