A platform integrating selective discrimination, imaging,
and synergistic
elimination of Gram-positive bacteria is urgently needed to address
the problem of bacterial infection, especially those resulting from
Gram-positive bacteria,. Aggregation-induced emission materials (AIEgens)
have shown great promise for antimicrobial applications. Herein, three
positively charged AIE-active cyclometalated iridium photosensitizers
(Ir1–3) were rationally designed and synthesized.
Selective discrimination and imaging of Gram-positive bacteria among
Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi were achieved
with Ir1–3. Among three AIE-active cyclometalated
iridium photosensitizers, Ir1 had the best antibacterial
activity owing to the monoaromatic substituent of phenanthroline imidazole
ligand to the main ligand, eliminating Gram-positive bacteria through
its inherent antibacterial mechanism and bacterial photodynamic inactivation.
Furthermore, Ir1 altered Gram-positive bacterial gene
expression and was successfully applied to S. aureus-infected wound treatment. Due to the interaction between lipoteichoic
acids (LTA) and our iridium-based AIEgens, our AIEgen photosensitizers
realized selective discrimination, imaging, and synergistic elimination
of Gram-positive bacteria.
An iridium(iii) complex-based mitochondria targeting phosphorescent probe for selectively detecting Cu2+ and Cys in aqueous solution, living cells and zebrafish has been developed.
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