Title:Nucleic Acid-conjugated Carbohydrate Nanobiosensors: A Multimodal Tool for
Disease Diagnosis
Volume: 28
Issue: 30
Author(s): Maithili Kantak and Pravin Shende*
Affiliation:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, India
Keywords:
Nucleic acids, carbohydrates, biosensors, paper-based portable devices, aptasensors, semi-quantitatively.
Abstract:
Background: Nucleic acid-based carbohydrate sensors (NAbCSs) constitute a strategy involving
nucleic acids as recognition elements for the development of a unique, stable, sensitive, mono- or multimodal
detection system in the field of nanomedicine, gas sensing, and gene therapy. Thus, this advanced platform for
next-generation investigation compromises cost-effective, wearable, and noninvasive sensing devices as diagnostics
in healthcare.
Objective: This review article highlights the importance of NAbCSs and explores the novel applications of sensors
fabricated via the conjugation of nucleic acids and carbohydrates. Additionally, advances in smart portable
devices, like smartphones, printers, and digital multimeters, are summarized, followed by the challenges involved
in the development of futuristic sensing tools.
Methods: A novel platform has been unfolded for the detection of different chemical toxins (like aflatoxin B1,
ochratoxin A) and biomarkers (like miRNA in cancer) present in biosamples, food and biowarfare agents. The
potential applications of biosensing in the areas of miniaturization, reusability, rapid, point-of-care or portable
for home analysis techniques, cost-effective, eco-friendly, high throughput and personalized sensors for qualitative
analysis of target analyte/s in bio-fluids and food have been explored.
Conclusion: NAbCSs provide real-time monitoring of biosamples qualitatively and semi-quantitatively (luminometer,
fluorimeter, etc.) in the absence of trained personnel. Explorations of NAbCSs encompass advantages
in remote resource-limited access areas with simultaneous monitoring via smart devices for multiple analytes
with greater precision, sensitivity, and selectivity.