The invention relates to the technical field of
biological materials, in particular to a fluorescent probe for targeting mitochondrial G4
DNA, a preparation method and
fluorescence lifetime imaging application. The fluorescent probe for targeting mitochondrial G4
DNA has
membrane permeability, high light stability,
mitochondrial targeting and selective recognition capability on mtDNA, especially mitochondrial G4 quadruplex (mtG4
DNA), and can realize real-time analysis of mtDNA abundance, conformation and mtG4DNA dynamic change under the condition of no need of
gene manipulation, fixation or amplification. Through combination of stimulated
radiation depletion (STED) or
structured illumination super-resolution imaging (SIM) and a
fluorescence lifetime imaging
microscope (FLIM), the probe can provide intensity and lifetime dual signals at the same time, accurately maps mtDNA aggregate remodeling,
oxidative damage and three-dimensional spatial-temporal dynamics participated by a G4 structure, and can be used for detecting the
fluorescence lifetime of the mtDNA aggregate. A universal and non-invasive imaging platform is provided for researching related mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction,
senescence and neurodegenerative diseases (such as ALS).