Multiplex Imaging of an Intracellular Proteolytic Cascade by using a Broad‐Spectrum Nanoquencher

Turn off the lights! A universal nanoquencher that quenches a broad range of visible to near-infrared dyes by using a series of dark quenchers incorporated into a cell-permeable mesoporous silica nanoparticle has been developed. In combination with dye-labeled substrates, this nanoquencher boosts multiple fluorescence signals upon specific proteolysis, which allows real-time imaging of proteolytic cascades (see scheme).