Visualization of Hg <sup>2+</sup> Stress on Plant Health at the Subcellular Level Revealed by a Highly Sensitive Fluorescent Sensor
Sumeera Asghar, Zhenyang Yu, Zheng Zhu, Dengyue Zheng, Zimo Zhao, Yuming Xu, Xiao Liu, Chao Yuan, Yan Li, Wei Wang, Jianfeng Xu, Huailong Teng, Jun Li, Wen‐Chao Yang, Chunli Chen
Abstract
The presence of Hg 2+ causes substantial stress to plants, adversely affecting growth and health by disrupting cell cycle divisions, photosynthesis, and ionic homeostasis. Accurate visualization of the spatiotemporal distribution of Hg 2+ in plant tissues is crucial for the management of Hg pollution; however, the related research is still at its early stage. Herein, a small-molecule amphiphilic fluorescent probe (termed LJTP2 ) was developed for the specific detection of Hg 2+ with a high sensitivity (~16 nM). Fluorescent imaging applications with LJTP2 not only detected the dynamic distribution of Hg 2+ within plant cells at the subcellular level but also enabled the understanding of cell membrane health under Hg 2+ stress. This study introduces a valuable imaging tool for elucidating the molecular mechanism of Hg 2+ stress in plants, demonstrating the potential of the application of small-molecule fluorescent probes in plant science.