biostudies-literatureLuo YNational Natural Science Foundation of China-Guangdong Joint Fund659111https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8186282biostudies-literatureUnknown12Functional microorganisms play a vital role in removing environmental pollutants because of their diverse metabolic capability. Herein, a function-oriented fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based graphene quantum dots (GQDs-M) probe was developed for the specific identification and accurate sorting of azo-degrading functional bacteria in the original location of environmental samples for large-scale culturing. First, nitrogen-doped GQDs (GQDs-N) were synthesized using a bottom-up strategy. Then, a GQDs-M probe was synthesized based on bonding FRET-based GQDs-N to an azo dye, methyl red, and the quenched fluorescence was recovered upon cleavage of the azo bond. Bioimaging confirmed the specific recognition capability of GQDs-M upon incubation with the target bacteria or environmFrontiers in microbiologyFunction-Oriented Graphene Quantum Dots Probe for Single Cell <i>in situ</i> Sorting of Active Microorganisms in Environmental Samples.PMC818628291851202U1701243Luo QYang YXu MMei CLiao BLuo YLiu FSong JfalseFunction-Oriented Graphene Quantum Dots Probe for Single Cell <i>in situ</i> Sorting of Active Microorganisms in Environmental Samples.Functional microorganisms play a vital role in removing environmental pollutants because of their diverse metabolic capability. Herein, a function-oriented fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based graphene quantum dots (GQDs-M) probe was developed for the specific identification and accurate sorting of azo-degrading functional bacteria in the original location of environmental samples for large-scale culturing. First, nitrogen-doped GQDs (GQDs-N) were synthesized using a bottom-up strategy. Then, a GQDs-M probe was synthesized based on bonding FRET-based GQDs-N to an azo dye, methyl red, and the quenched fluorescence was recovered upon cleavage of the azo bond. Bioimaging confirmed the specific recognition capability of GQDs-M upon incubation with the target bacteria or environm2021-01-01T00:00:00Z20212025-06-01T03:55:43.614Z2022-02-10T14:23:40.301ZS-EPMC81862823411332510.3389/fmicb.2021.659111