Use of Proximity Ligation Assay to Study Lymphoid Malignancies.

The advent of high-throughput and unbiased proteogenomic screens promises to rapidly advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning pathogenesis of lymphoid malignancies. The wealth of data generated from these studies requires methods to rapidly confirm and extend findings into cell line models and primary patient samples. The proximity ligation assay (PLA) is a method that can visualize protein-protein interactions in situ. PLA can capture transient interactions and characterize constituents of stable biomolecular condensates, both of which pose technical difficulties for traditional biochemical and fluorescence imaging techniques.

Detection and Validation of Organic Metabolites in Urine for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) comprises the majority, approximately 70-80%, of renal cancer cases and often remains asymptomatic until incidentally detected during unrelated abdominal imaging or at advanced stages. Currently, standardized screening tests for renal cancer are lacking, which presents challenges in disease management and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to identify ccRCC-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the urine of ccRCC-positive patients and develop a urinary VOC-based diagnostic model. METHODS: This study involved 233 pretreatment ccRCC patients and 43 healthy individuals. VOC analysis utilized stir-bar sorptive extraction coupled with thermal desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SBSE-TD-GC/MS). A ccRCC diagnostic model was established via logistic regression, trained on 163 ccRCC cases versus 31 controls, and validated with 70 ccRCC cases versus 12 controls, resulting in a ccRCC diagnostic model involving 24 VOC markers. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated promising diagnostic efficacy, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.94, 86% sensitivity, and 92% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the feasibility of using urine as a reliable biospecimen for identifying VOC biomarkers in ccRCC. While further validation in larger cohorts is necessary, this study's capability to differentiate between ccRCC and control groups, despite sample size limitations, holds significant promise.

Enhancing Photogenerated Radical Pair Properties in Donor-Chromophore-Acceptor Systems for Quantum Information Applications.

We report on new donor-chromophore-acceptor triads BDX-ANI-NDI and BDX-ANI-xy-NDI where the BDX donor is 2,2,6,6-tetramethylbenzo[1,2-d;4,5-d]bis[1,3]dioxole, the ANI chromophore is 4-(N-piperidinyl)naphthalene-1,8-dicarboximide, the NDI acceptor is naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide), and xy is a 2,5-xylyl spacer. The results on these compounds are compared to the analogous derivatives having a p-methoxyaniline (MeOAn) as the donor. BDX•+ has no nitrogen atoms and only a single hydrogen atom coupled to its unpaired electron spin, and therefore has significantly decreased hyperfine interactions compared to MeOAn•+. We use femtosecond transient absorption (fsTA) and nanosecond TA (nsTA) spectroscopies, the latter with an applied static magnetic field, to study the charge transfer dynamics and determine the spin-spin exchange interaction (J) for BDX•+-ANI-NDI•- and BDX•+-ANI-xy-NDI•- at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and pulse-EPR measurements on these spin-correlated radical pairs (SCRPs) were used to probe their spin dynamics. We demonstrate that BDX•+-ANI-xy-NDI•- has an unusually long lifetime of ∼550 µs in glassy butyronitrile (PrCN) at 85 K, which makes it useful for pulse-EPR studies that target quantum information science (QIS) applications. We also show that rotation of the BDX group about the single bond linking it to the neighboring phenyl group has a significant impact on the spin dynamics, and in particular the magnitude of J. By comparing the results on these compounds to the analogous MeOAn series, insights into design principles for creating improved spin-correlated radical pair systems for QIS studies are obtained.

Xeniaphyllane and Xeniolide Diterpenes from the Deep-Sea Soft Coral Paragorgia arborea.

As exploration of ocean depths >1000 m is only possible by expensive remotely operated underwater vehicles, deep-sea invertebrates represent a largely untapped source of marine metabolites for potential applications in medicine. Our current study aims to investigate these deep-sea invertebrates in Ireland to discover new biological and chemical diversity. Here, we investigate the bubble gum coral, Paragorgia arborea, collected at 1500 m depth from Whittard canyon in the Northeastern Atlantic. This species was selected following chemical profiling and biological screening. The isolation and structure elucidation of the main metabolites yielded three new diterpenes, namely, miolenol (1) and epoxymiolenol (2) characterized by the rare bicyclo[7.2.0]undec-4-ene skeleton, and the xeniolide epoxycoraxeniolide A (3), together with five known diterpenes. The structures of the new compounds were identified through extensive NMR analysis with their absolute configurations assigned by comparison between experimental and TDDFT-calculated ECD. The eight compounds were screened for cytotoxicity and antimalarial activity, and none displayed noteworthy bioactivity.

Photochemical phosphorus-enabled scaffold remodeling of carboxylic acids.

The excitation of carbonyl compounds by light to generate radical intermediates has historically been restricted to ketones and aldehydes; carboxylic acids have been overlooked because of high energy requirements and low quantum efficiency. A successful activation strategy would necessitate a bathochromic shift in the absorbance profile, an increase in triplet diradical lifetime, and ease of further functionalization. We present a single-flask transformation of carboxylic acids to acyl phosphonates that can access synthetically useful triplet diradicals under visible light or near-ultraviolet irradiation. The use of phosphorus circumvents unproductive Norrish type I processes, promoting selectivity that enables hydrogen-atom transfer reactivity. Use of this strategy promotes the efficient scaffold remodeling of carboxylic acids through various annulation, contraction, and expansion manifolds.

Ventral tegmental area dopamine neural activity switches simultaneously with rule representations in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

Multiple brain regions need to coordinate activity to support cognitive flexibility and behavioral adaptation. Neural activity in both the hippocampus (HPC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to represent spatial context and is sensitive to reward and rule alterations. Midbrain dopamine (DA) activity is key in reward seeking behavior and learning. There is abundant evidence that midbrain DA modulates HPC and PFC activity. However, it remains underexplored how these networks engage dynamically and coordinate temporally when animals must adjust their behavior according to changing reward contingencies. In particular, is there any relationship between DA reward prediction change during rule switching, and rule representation changes in PFC and CA1? We addressed these questions using simultaneous recording of neuronal population activity from the hippocampal area CA1, PFC and ventral tegmental area (VTA) in male TH-Cre rats performing two spatial working memory tasks with frequent rule switches in blocks of trials. CA1 and PFC ensembles showed rule-specific activity both during maze running and at reward locations, with PFC rule coding more consistent across animals compared to CA1. Optogenetically tagged VTA DA neuron firing activity responded to and predicted reward outcome. We found that the correct prediction in DA emerged gradually over trials after rule-switching in coordination with transitions in PFC and CA1 ensemble representations of the current rule after a rule switch, followed by behavioral adaptation to the correct rule sequence. Therefore, our study demonstrates a crucial temporal coordination between the rule representation in PFC/CA1, the dopamine reward signal and behavioral strategy.

Anthoteibinenes A-E from the Irish Deep-Sea Coral Anthothela grandiflora: An Amination Puzzle.

Chemical investigation of extracts from the Irish deep-sea soft coral Anthothela grandiflora revealed cadinene-like sesquiterpenes, anthoteibinenes A-E, bearing unusual dimethylamine substitution. Structure elucidation was accomplished using 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry, while NOESY NMR experiments, gauge invariant atomic orbital (GIAO) NMR calculations coupled with DP4+ probabilities measures, and ECD comparisons were incorporated to propose their relative and absolute configurations. Anthoteibinene B (2) exhibited 49% inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at 3.1 µM with no cytotoxicity.

Detecting Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity in Randomly Oriented Radical Pairs Photogenerated by Hole Transfer.

Chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) has the potential to control the spin dynamics of chiral molecules for applications in quantum information science. Here we investigate the effect of CISS on the spin dynamics of radical pair formation following photodriven hole transfer in a pair of donor-chiral bridge-acceptor (D-Bχ-A) enantiomers, where D = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl[1,3]-dioxolo[4,5-f][1,3]benzodioxole, Bχ = (R)- or (S)-2,2'-dimethoxy-4,4'-diphenyl-5,5',6,6',7,7',8,8'-octahydro-1,1'-binaphthalene, and A = naphthalene-(1,4:5,8)-bis(dicarboximide). The results are compared to those obtained on the corresponding achiral D-B-A reference molecule in which B = 2″,3',5',6″-tetramethyl-1,1':4',1″:4″,1‴-quaterphenyl. Photoexcitation of A in a randomly oriented sample of D-Bχ-A in glassy butyronitrile at 85 K results in subnanosecond two-step hole transfer from 1*A to D to form D•+-Bχ-A•-, which was characterized using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy at X (9.6 GHz), Q (34 GHz), and W (94 GHz) bands. The spectra show line shape changes that are characteristic of a ∼38% contribution of CISS to the spin dynamics of D•+-Bχ-A•- formation. The line shape changes resulting from CISS are particularly apparent in the TREPR spectra at X-band as predicted by recent theory. These results show that (1) CISS has a significant influence on radical pair dynamics initiated by photodriven hole transfer, which is complementary to our recent electron transfer results, and (2) CISS can be detected using TREPR on radical pairs that are randomly oriented relative to an external magnetic field.

Distinct vibrational motions promote disparate excited-state decay pathways in cofacial perylenediimide dimers.

A complex interplay of structural, electronic, and vibrational degrees of freedom underpins the fate of molecular excited states. Organic assemblies exhibit a myriad of excited-state decay processes, such as symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS), excimer (EX) formation, singlet fission, and energy transfer. Recent studies of cofacial and slip-stacked perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PDI) multimers demonstrate that slight variations in core substituents and H- or J-type aggregation can determine whether the system follows an SB-CS pathway or an EX one. However, questions regarding the relative importance of structural properties and molecular vibrations in driving the excited-state dynamics remain. Here, we use a combination of two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy, femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry computations to compare the photophysics of two PDI dimers. The dimer with 1,7-bis(pyrrolidin-1'-yl) substituents (5PDI2) undergoes ultrafast SB-CS from a photoexcited mixed state, while the dimer with bis-1,7-(3',5'-di-t-butylphenoxy) substituents (PPDI2) rapidly forms an EX state. Examination of their quantum beating features reveals that SB-CS in 5PDI2 is driven by the collective vibronic coupling of two or more excited-state vibrations. In contrast, we observe signatures of low-frequency vibrational coherence transfer during EX formation by PPDI2, which aligns with several previous studies. We conclude that key electronic and structural differences between 5PDI2 and PPDI2 determine their markedly different photophysics.

Gα13 restricts nutrient driven proliferation in mucosal germinal centers.

Germinal centers (GCs) that form in mucosal sites are exposed to gut-derived factors that have the potential to influence homeostasis independent of antigen receptor-driven selective processes. The G-protein Gα13 confines B cells to the GC and limits the development of GC-derived lymphoma. We discovered that Gα13-deficiency fuels the GC reaction via increased mTORC1 signaling and Myc protein expression specifically in the mesenteric lymph node (mLN). The competitive advantage of Gα13-deficient GC B cells (GCBs) in mLN was not dependent on T cell help or gut microbiota. Instead, Gα13-deficient GCBs were selectively dependent on dietary nutrients likely due to greater access to gut lymphatics. Specifically, we found that diet-derived glutamine supported proliferation and Myc expression in Gα13-deficient GCBs in the mLN. Thus, GC confinement limits the effects of dietary glutamine on GC dynamics in mucosal tissues. Gα13 pathway mutations coopt these processes to promote the gut tropism of aggressive lymphoma.

Structure-enabled long-lived charge separation in single crystals of an asymmetric donor-acceptor perylenediimide cyclophane.

We report the synthesis and characterization of a covalently linked asymmetric cyclophane comprising a 1,7-di(pyrrolidin-1'-yl)perylene-3,4,9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (pyrPDI) and 1,6,7,12-tetra(4'-t-butylphenoxy)perylene-3,4,9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (tpPDI), which absorbs light from 400-750 nm. Single crystals of pyrPDI-tpPDI were analyzed by using X-ray diffraction and transient absorption microscopy. The crystal structure contains several types of intermolecular donor-acceptor interactions (pyrPDI-pyrPDI, tpPDI-tpPDI, and pyrPDI-tpPDI) in addition to the covalently installed intramolecular interaction. Following photoexcitation of the pyrPDI-tpPDI single crystal, the transient absorption data show that charge separation occurs in τ = 21 ps, which is about nine times faster than in toluene solution, while charge recombination occurs in τ > 2 µs, which is more than 400 times longer than in solution. The faster charge separation in the single crystals results from the intermolecular donor-acceptor pyrPDI-tpPDI interactions, while the greatly enhanced charge-separated state lifetime is a consequence of charge transport through the intermolecular π-stacks. These results demonstrate the utility of pre-organizing donor-acceptor structural motifs to elicit specific crystal morphologies that can lead to enhanced photogenerated charge carrier lifetimes for solar energy conversion.

Identifying Sources of Entanglement Loss in Photodriven Molecular Electron Spin Teleportation.

We report on an electron donor-electron acceptor-stable radical (D-A-R•) molecule in which an electron spin state first prepared on R• is followed by photogeneration of an entangled singlet 1[D•+-A•-] spin pair to produce D•+-A•--R•. Since the A•- and R• spins within D•+-A•--R• are uncorrelated, spin teleportation from R• to D•+ occurs with a maximal 25% efficiency only for the singlet pair 1(A•--R•) by spin-allowed electron transfer from A•- to R•. However, since 1[D•+-A•-] is sufficiently long-lived, coherent spin mixing involving the unreactive 3(A•--R•) population affects entanglement and teleportation within D•+-A•--R•. Pulse electron paramagnetic resonance experiments show a direct correlation between electron spin flip-flops and entanglement loss, providing information for designing molecular materials to serve as nanoscale quantum device interconnects.

Hippocampal-prefrontal communication subspaces align with behavioral and network patterns in a spatial memory task.

Rhythmic network states have been theorized to facilitate communication between brain regions, but how these oscillations influence communication subspaces, i.e, the low-dimensional neural activity patterns that mediate inter-regional communication, and in turn how subspaces impact behavior remains unclear. Using a spatial memory task in rats, we simultaneously recorded ensembles from hippocampal CA1 and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to address this question. We found that task behaviors best aligned with low-dimensional, shared subspaces between these regions, rather than local activity in either region. Critically, both network oscillations and speed modulated the structure and performance of this communication subspace. Contrary to expectations, theta coherence did not better predict CA1-PFC shared activity, while theta power played a more significant role. To understand the communication space, we visualized shared CA1-PFC communication geometry using manifold techniques and found ring-like structures. We hypothesize that these shared activity manifolds are utilized to mediate the task behavior. These findings suggest that memory-guided behaviors are driven by shared CA1-PFC interactions that are dynamically modulated by oscillatory states, offering a novel perspective on the interplay between rhythms and behaviorally relevant neural communication.

IRF4 requires ARID1A to establish plasma cell identity in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy that exploits transcriptional networks driven by IRF4. We employ a multi-omics approach to discover IRF4 vulnerabilities, integrating functional genomics screening, spatial proteomics, and global chromatin mapping. ARID1A, a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, is required for IRF4 expression and functionally associates with IRF4 protein on chromatin. Deleting Arid1a in activated murine B cells disrupts IRF4-dependent transcriptional networks and blocks plasma cell differentiation. Targeting SWI/SNF activity leads to rapid loss of IRF4-target gene expression and quenches global amplification of oncogenic gene expression by MYC, resulting in profound toxicity to MM cells. Notably, MM patients with aggressive disease bear the signature of SWI/SNF activity, and SMARCA2/4 inhibitors remain effective in immunomodulatory drug (IMiD)-resistant MM cells. Moreover, combinations of SWI/SNF and MEK inhibitors demonstrate synergistic toxicity to MM cells, providing a promising strategy for relapsed/refractory disease.

Genomic Profiling to Contextualize the Results of Intervention for Smoldering Multiple Myeloma.

PURPOSE: Early intervention for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma (HR-SMM) achieves deep and prolonged responses. It is unclear if beneficial outcomes are due to the treatment of less complex, susceptible disease or inaccuracy in clinical definition of cases entered. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In this study, we interrogated whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing for 54 patients across two HR-SMM interventional studies (NCT01572480 and NCT02279394). RESULTS: We reveal that the genomic landscape of treated HR-SMM is generally simple as compared with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma counterparts with less inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, RAS pathway mutations, MYC disruption, and APOBEC contribution. The absence of these events parallels that of indolent precursor conditions, possibly explaining overall excellent outcomes. However, some patients harboring genomic complexity fail to sustain response and experience resistant, progressive disease. Overall, clinical risk scores do not effectively discriminate between genomically indolent and aggressive disease. CONCLUSIONS: Genomic profiling can contextualize the advantage of early intervention in SMM and guide personalization of therapy. See related commentary by Weinhold and Rasche, p. 4263.

Long-Lived Charge Separation in Single Crystals of an Electron Donor Covalently Linked to Four Acceptor Molecules.

Crystalline donor-acceptor (D-A) systems serve as an excellent platform for studying CT exciton creation, migration, and dissociation into free charge carriers for solar energy conversion. Donor-acceptor cocrystals have been utilized to develop an understanding of CT exciton formation in ordered organic solids; however, the strong electronic coupling of the D and A units can sometimes limit charge separation lifetimes due to their close proximity. Covalent D-A systems that preorganize specific donor-acceptor structures can assist in engineering crystal morphologies that promote long-lived charge separation to overcome this limitation. Here we investigate photogenerated CT exciton formation in a single crystal of a 2,5,8,11-tetraphenylperylene (PerPh4) donor to which four identical naphthalene-(1,4:5,8)-bis(dicarboximide) (NDI) electron acceptors are covalently attached at the para positions of the PerPh4 phenyl groups to yield PerPh4-NDI4. X-ray crystallography shows that the four NDIs pack pairwise into two distinct motifs. Two NDI acceptors of one PerPh4-NDI4 are positioned over the PerPh4 donors of adjacent PerPh4-NDI4 molecules with the donor and acceptor π-systems having a large dihedral angle between them, while the other two NDIs of PerPh4-NDI4 form xylene-NDI van der Waals π-stacks with the corresponding NDIs in adjacent PerPh4-NDI4 molecules. Upon selective photoexcitation of PerPh4 in the single crystal, CT exciton formation occurs in <300 fs yielding electron-hole pairs that live for more than ∼16 µs. This demonstrates the effectiveness of covalently linked D-A systems for engineering single crystal structures that promote efficient and long-lived charge separation for solar energy conversion.

Response to Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors in aggressive lymphomas linked to chronic selective autophagy.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive, profoundly heterogeneous cancer, presenting a challenge for precision medicine. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors block B cell receptor (BCR) signaling and are particularly effective in certain molecular subtypes of DLBCL that rely on chronic active BCR signaling to promote oncogenic NF-κB. The MCD genetic subtype, which often acquires mutations in the BCR subunit, CD79B, and in the innate immune adapter, MYD88L265P, typically resists chemotherapy but responds exceptionally to BTK inhibitors. However, the underlying mechanisms of response to BTK inhibitors are poorly understood. Herein, we find a non-canonical form of chronic selective autophagy in MCD DLBCL that targets ubiquitinated MYD88L265P for degradation in a TBK1-dependent manner. MCD tumors acquire genetic and epigenetic alterations that attenuate this autophagic tumor suppressive pathway. In contrast, BTK inhibitors promote autophagic degradation of MYD88L265P, thus explaining their exceptional clinical benefit in MCD DLBCL.

Oriented Triplet Excitons as Long-Lived Electron Spin Qutrits in a Molecular Donor-Acceptor Single Cocrystal.

The photogeneration of multiple unpaired electron spins within molecules is a promising route to applications in quantum information science because they can be initialized into well-defined, multilevel quantum states (S > 1/2) and reproducibly fabricated by chemical synthesis. However, coherent manipulation of these spin states is difficult to realize in typical molecular systems due to the lack of selective addressability and short coherence times of the spin transitions. Here, these challenges are addressed by using donor-acceptor single cocrystals composed of pyrene and naphthalene dianhydride to host spatially oriented triplet excitons, which exhibit promising photogenerated qutrit properties. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy demonstrates that spatially orienting triplet excitons in a single crystal platform imparts narrow, well-resolved, tunable resonances in the triplet EPR spectrum, allowing selective addressability of the spin sublevel transitions. Pulse-EPR spectroscopy reveals that at temperatures above 30 K, spin decoherence of these triplet excitons is driven by exciton diffusion. However, coherence is limited by electronic spin dipolar coupling below 30 K, where T2 varies nonlinearly with the optical excitation density due to exciton annihilation. Overall, an optimized coherence time of T2 = 7.1 µs at 20 K is achieved. These results provide important insights into designing solid-state molecular excitonic materials with improved spin qutrit properties.

Ultrafast Charge Transfer Dynamics in a Slip-Stacked Donor-Acceptor-Acceptor System.

Photoexcitation of molecular electron donor and/or acceptor chromophore aggregates can greatly affect their charge-transfer dynamics. Excitonic coupling not only alters the energy landscape in the excited state but may also open new photophysical pathways, such as symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS). Here, we investigate the impact of excitonic coupling on a covalent donor-acceptor-acceptor system comprising a perylene donor (Per) and two perylenediimide (PDI) acceptor chromophores in which the three components are π-stacked in a geometry that is slipped along their long axes (Per-PDI2). Following selective photoexcitation of PDI, femtosecond transient absorption data for Per-PDI2 is compared to that for the single-donor, single-acceptor Per-PDI system, and the PDI2 dimer, which both have the same interchromophore geometry as Per-PDI2. The data show that electron transfer from Per to the lower exciton state of the PDI dimer is slower than that of the single PDI acceptor system. This is due to the lower free energy of the reaction for charge separation because of the electronic stabilization afforded by the excitonic coupling between the PDIs. While PDI2 was shown previously to undergo ultrafast SB-CS, the strong π-π electronic interaction of Per with the adjacent PDI in Per-PDI2 breaks the electronic symmetry of the PDI dimer, resulting in the oxidation of Per rather than SB-CS. These results show that the electronic coupling between molecules designed to accept charges produced by SB-CS in molecular dimers and the chromophores comprising the dimer must be balanced to favor SB-CS.

Harvesting electrons and holes from photodriven symmetry-breaking charge separation within a perylenediimide photosynthetic model dimer.

Understanding how to utilize symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS) offers a path toward increasingly efficient light-harvesting technologies. This process plays a central role in the first step of photosynthesis, in which the dimeric "special pair" of the photosynthetic reaction center enters a coherent SB-CS state after photoexcitation. Previous research on SB-CS in both biological and synthetic chromophore dimers has focused on increasing the efficiency of light-driven processes. In a chromophore dimer undergoing SB-CS, the energy of the radical ion pair product is nearly isoenergetic with that of the lowest excited singlet (S1) state of the dimer. This means that very little energy is lost from the absorbed photon. In principle, the relatively high energy electron and hole generated by SB-CS within the chromophore dimer can each be transferred to adjacent charge acceptors to extend the lifetime of the electron-hole pair, which can increase the efficiency of solar energy conversion. To investigate this possibility, we have designed a bis-perylenediimide cyclophane (mPDI2) covalently linked to a secondary electron donor, peri-xanthenoxanthene (PXX) and a secondary electron acceptor, partially fluorinated naphthalenediimide (FNDI). Upon selective photoexcitation of mPDI2, transient absorption spectroscopy shows that mPDI2 undergoes SB-CS, followed by two secondary charge transfer reactions to generate a PXX•+-mPDI2-FNDI•- radical ion pair having a nearly 3 µs lifetime. This strategy has the potential to increase the efficiency of molecular systems for artificial photosynthesis and photovoltaics.