Mitochondrial DNA has a special structure that is prone to damage resulting in many serious diseases, such as genetic diseases and cancers. Therefore, the rapid and specific monitoring of mitochondrial DNA damage is urgently needed for biological recognition. Herein, we constructed an in situ hydrophobic environment-triggering reactive fluorescence probe named MBI-CN. The fluorophore was 2-styrene-1H-benzo[d]imidazole, and malononitrile was introduced as a core into a molecule to initiate the hydrolysis reaction in the specific environment containing damaged mitochondrial DNA. In this design, MBI-CN conjugates to mitochondrial DNA without causing additional damages. Thus, MBI-CN can be hydrolyzed to generate MBI-CHO in an in situ hydrophobic environment with mitochondrial DNA damage. Meanwhile, MBI-CHO immediately emitted a significative fluorescence signal changes at 437 and 553 nm within 25 s for the damaged mitochondria DNA. Give that the specific and rapid response of MBI-CN does not cause additional damages to mitochondrial DNA, it is a potentially effective detection tool for the real-time monitoring of mitochondrial DNA damage during cell apoptosis and initial assessment of cell apoptosis.

线粒体DNA具有特殊的结构，容易受到损伤，导致许多严重的疾病，如遗传病和癌症。因此，生物识别迫切需要对线粒体DNA损伤进行快速、特异性的监测。在此，我们构建了一种原位疏水环境触发反应性荧光探针，名为 MBI-CN。荧光团为2-苯乙烯-1 H-苯并[ d ]咪唑，将丙二腈作为核心引入分子中，在含有受损线粒体DNA的特定环境中引发水解反应。在这种设计中，MBI-CN 与线粒体 DNA 结合，不会造成额外的损伤。因此，MBI-CN 可以原位水解生成 MBI-CHO线粒体DNA损伤的疏水环境。同时，MBI-CHO 立即在 25 秒内针对受损的线粒体 DNA 在 437 和 553 nm 处发出显着的荧光信号变化。鉴于 MBI-CN 的特异性和快速反应不会对线粒体 DNA 造成额外的损伤，它是一种潜在的有效检测工具，可用于实时监测细胞凋亡过程中的线粒体 DNA 损伤和细胞凋亡的初步评估。