Indexed by:Article

Journal:Nature Communications

Volume:11

Key Words:Imaging, Raman spectroscopy, Conjugated polymers

DOI number:10.1038/s41467-019-13784-

Date of Publication:2020-01-03

Impact Factor:17.694

Abstract:Live-cell Raman imaging based on bioorthogonal Raman probes with distinct signals in the cellular Raman-silent region (1800–2800 cm−1) has attracted great interest in recent years. We report here a class of water-soluble and biocompatible polydiacetylenes with intrinsic ultrastrong alkyne Raman signals that locate in this region for organelle-targeting live-cell Raman imaging. Using a host-guest topochemical polymerization strategy, we have synthesized a water-soluble and functionalizable master polydiacetylene, namely poly(deca-4,6-diynedioic acid) (PDDA), which possesses significantly enhanced (up to ~104 fold) alkyne vibration compared to conventional alkyne Raman probes. In addition, PDDA can be used as a general platform for multi-functional ultrastrong Raman probes. We achieve high quality live-cell stimulated Raman scattering imaging on the basis of modified PDDA. The polydiacetylene-based Raman probes represent ultrastrong intrinsic Raman imaging agents in the Raman-silent region (without any Raman enhancer), and the flexible functionalization of this material holds great promise for its potential diverse applications.

Links to published journals:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-13784-0