Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2024, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (6): 114-125.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2023-1184

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Application of Transcription Factor-based Biosensors in Environmental Analysis

ZHANG Di1(), JU Rui1, LI Li-mei2, WANG Yu-qian3, CHEN Rui3, WANG Xin-yi1()   

  1. 1. College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622
    2. College of Sciences Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866
    3. Beijing Key Laboratory of Occupational Safety and Health, Institute of Urban Safety and Environmental Science, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, Beijing 100054
  • Received:2023-12-15 Online:2024-06-26 Published:2024-04-19
  • Contact: WANG Xin-yi E-mail:deezhang163@163.com;wangxinyi@dlu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Transcription factors are a class of proteins that regulate gene expression in cells by directing RNA polymerases to bind to specific DNA sequences. Transcription factors, as important regulatory proteins for prokaryotes to adapt to the natural environment, can specifically sense ligand molecules in environmental media. By coupling with different signal transduction and amplification systems, biosensing systems with transcription factors as recognition elements can construct flexible sensing strategies in whole-cell system, cell-free system and in vitro reaction systems. The transcription factor-based biosensors(TFBBs)have the advantages of high sensitivity, small size, low-cost, and on-site monitoring, showing great potential in the analysis of environmental pollutants. This paper introduces the reaction system types, core component compositions and working principle of TFBBs, as well as lists their application progress in the detection of environmental pollutants including heavy metal ions, aromatic compounds and antibiotics. On this basis, the opportunities and challenges for TFBBs in the detection of environmental pollutants are discussed, and the development trend of TFBBs is prospected. It points out that the rapid development of interdisciplinary emerging technologies such as synthetic biology and artificial intelligence will promote the artificial design and sensing performance improvement of TFBBs, making them applicable in a wider range of fields.

Key words: transcription factors, biosensor, environmental analysis, heavy metal ions, aromatic compounds, antibiotics