An AIE‐active probe for efficient detection and high‐throughput identification of outer membrane vesicles

Abstract

<p>Rapid detection and quantification of outer membrane vesicle (OMV) are of both scientific value and clinical implications. However, limited tools are available for investigations of OMVs. Herein, we report a novel fluorescent probe with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics, namely, OEO-TPE-MEM (OTM), for OMV detection. OTM emits faintly in an aqueous medium, but its fluorescence could be effectively turned on upon interacting with bacteria bodies and OMVs produced by Gram-negative bacteria. Notably, OTM could provide quantitative information on bacterial membrane remodeling and OMV secretion and be applied to high-throughput screening of OMV-inducing agents. This study presents a powerful AIE probe for imaging and quantitative analysis of bacteria envelop and derived OMVs, which might be applied for evaluating research and clinical antimicrobial materials in future studies.<br></p>