Citation: Yi Tao, Jie Pan, Wenting Yin, Qinglong Qiao, Zhaochao Xu. An LPS-targeted fluorescent probe for dynamic super-resolution imaging of Gram-negative bacterial outer membranes[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(7): 112611. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2026.112611 shu

An LPS-targeted fluorescent probe for dynamic super-resolution imaging of Gram-negative bacterial outer membranes

Yi Tao ^{a, b} ,
Jie Pan ^{a, *,} ,
Wenting Yin ^a ,
Qinglong Qiao ^{a, *,} ,
Zhaochao Xu ^{a, b, *,}

a.
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
b.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

panjie@dicp.ac.cn

qqlqiao@dicp.ac.cn

zcxu@dicp.ac.cn

Received Date: 2 March 2026
Revised Date: 10 March 2026
Accepted Date: 10 March 2026
Available Online: 11 March 2026

Figures(6)

The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria, with its unique and complex structure, serves as a critical structural foundation for their heightened pathogenicity and drug resistance. However, with a thickness of only 7–9 nm, the OM is highly fragile and undergoes continuous remodeling, making it difficult to elucidate its structural dynamics and functional mechanisms during bacterial growth, division, and host invasion. Here, we developed Rho-PMXB as an OM-specific fluorescent probe that incorporates a polymyxin-derived moiety for highly specific recognition of OM lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and a rhodamine fluorophore that confers excellent photostability and high fluorescence brightness. Rho-PMXB enables selective labeling of the OMs of various Gram-negative bacteria and supports super-resolution imaging, allowing real-time visualization of OM dynamics during bacterial growth, division, and antibiotic treatment, thereby providing insight into antimicrobial mechanisms. Furthermore, Rho-PMXB enables dynamic super-resolution imaging of pathogen-host cell interactions, visualizing OM behavior during Porphyromonas gingivalis invasion of human gingival epithelial (HGE) cells and revealing its interplay with the host plasma membrane and actin cytoskeleton.
- LPS targeting,
- Fluorescent probe,
- Rhodamine,
- Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane,
- Dynamic super-resolution imaging
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