Viscosity & SO2-sensitive dual colorimetric effect fluorescent sensor enabled imaging detection within plant onion and biological system

The biological microenvironment includes important parameters such as viscosity, polarity, temperature, oxygen content and pH. In particular, abnormal cell viscosity is associated with the development of major diseases. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) serves not only as an essential atmospheric pollutant but also an influential signalling molecule in biological cells, predisposing individuals to increased respiratory disease. In this work, we designed and synthesized a novel fluorescent probe CouCN-V&S with dual response to micro environmental viscosity and SO2. The probe monitored viscosity and SO2 separately through dual emission channels with a difference of 135 nm. The probe responded sensitively to SO2 (<1s) and exhibited satisfactory immunity to interference and pH stability. The probe was successfully applied to imaging cellular, intra-zebrafish viscosity and SO2 changes. Interestingly, we took onion epidermal cells as model and explored the capability of probe CouCN-V&S to image SO2 in plant cells for the first time.