Photo-induced Bacillus subtilis-spore transformation for bowel disease therapy and therapeutic outcome visualization

Efficient strategies for transforming Bacillus subtilis vegetative cells into spores (BtS transformation) are still limited, although they show promise for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A novel, simple, and rapid photo-induced BtS transformation mechanism is now presented that utilizes a novel aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) photosensitizer, triphenylamine-benzothiadiazole-pyridine-p-tolylboronic acid bromine salt (TBPBB), that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to light. The ROS selectively target and damage the membranes of Bacillus subtilis and trigger their transformation into spores. These spores demonstrate considerable promise for the effective treatment of IBD in a mouse disease model. Furthermore, the fluorescence signal generated by TBPBB can be used to directly visualize the recovery of damaged intestinal tissue. This is a valuable tool for monitoring the healing process and gaining insights into therapeutic efficacy. This study highlights the remarkable practical value of AIEgen-induced BtS transformation for identifying, localizing, and visualizing the therapeutic outcomes of IBD treatments.