Bioluminescent Probe for Detecting Mercury(II) in Living Mice.

A novel bioluminescence probe for mercury(II) was obtained on the basis of the distinct deprotection reaction of dithioacetal to decanal, so as to display suitable sensitivity and selectivity toward mercury(II) over other ions with bacterial bioluminescence signal. These experimental results indicated such a probe was a novel promising method for mercury(II) bioluminescence imaging in environmental and life sciences ex vivo and in vivo.