An ESIPT-AIE nanosensor for ONOO− imaging: decoding heavy metal stress and ferroptosis in living plants

Peroxynitrite (ONOO−) serves as a critical redox signaling molecule in plant stress responses and ferroptosis, yet real time monitoring within complex plant matrices remains challenging. To address this, we synthesized a ratiometric nanosensor (DA) through molecular self-assembly. The DA particles (258 nm in diameter) exhibited enhanced sensitivity driven by an excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT)-triggered restricted intramolecular motion mechanism, resulting in distinctive aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior. This nanoscale configuration improved tissue penetration and eliminated the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect commonly observed in traditional rhodamine derivatives. Meanwhile, the DA probe featured a large Stokes shift of 167 nm and an ultra-low limit of detection (LOD) of 6.4 nM. Leveraging these optical advantages, the nanosensor enabled real-time visualization of ONOO− dynamics in plant tissues and quantitative assessment of ONOO− accumulation under cadmium (Cd2+), sodium chloride (NaCl), and erastin induced stress. This work represents the first application of an ESIPT-AIE hybrid probe for ONOO− detection in plants, providing a powerful analytical platform for elucidating oxidative stress mechanisms and advancing strategies to enhance crop resilience.