Biotechnological Advances in the Design of Algae-Based Biosensors

Abstract

In addition to their use in biomass production and bioremediation, algae have been extensively exploited in biosensing applications. Algae-based biosensors have demonstrated potential for sensitive, sustainable, and multiplexed detection of analytes of agroenvironmental and security interest. Their advantages include the availability of different algal bioreceptors including whole cells and their photosynthetic subcomponents, their potential to be integrated into dual transduction miniaturized devices, and the opportunity for continuous environmental monitoring. Despite obstacles including limited stability and selectivity, algae-based biosensing is a realistic prospect that has some recent effective applications. Strategic exploitation of cutting-edge technologies including materials science, nanotechnology, microfluidics, and genome editing will help to achieve the full potential of algae-based sensors.

Keywords: artificial bioinspired receptors; lab-on-a-chip diagnostics; nanomaterials; paper-based biosensors; photosynthetic algae.