A heparan sulfate proteoglycan-mimicking AIE fluorescent probe for SARS-CoV-2 detection†
Abstract
A heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-mimicking fluorescent probe, tetrasulfonated tetraphenylethene (TPES), with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics is designed for fast SARS-CoV-2 detection. TPES can adhere to SARS-CoV-2 by the strong interaction between the sulfonic acid groups of TPES and the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, leading to a significant fluorescence enhancement.