A dual-function probe for inhibition and rapid detection of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>

We introduce a dual-purpose solvatochromic naphthalimide-benzothiazinone (BTZ) conjugate with theranostic potential that enables specific and rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by targeting the DprE1 enzyme, while also exhibiting antimicrobial activity. The photoinduced electron transfer (PeT)-based fluorophore incorporates into the mycobacterial cell wall, producing detectable fluorescence within 15 minutes and thus, highlighting its suitability for rapid, point-of-care TB detection in low-resource settings.