Sun Zhining, Nguyen Tony, McAuliffe Kathleen, You Mingxu
Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, USA,
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2019 Feb 8;9(2):233. doi: 10.3390/nano9020233.
Genetically encodable sensors have been widely used in the detection of intracellular molecules ranging from metal ions and metabolites to nucleic acids and proteins. These biosensors are capable of monitoring in real-time the cellular levels, locations, and cell-to-cell variations of the target compounds in living systems. Traditionally, the majority of these sensors have been developed based on fluorescent proteins. As an exciting alternative, genetically encoded RNA-based molecular sensors (GERMS) have emerged over the past few years for the intracellular imaging and detection of various biological targets. In view of their ability for the general detection of a wide range of target analytes, and the modular and simple design principle, GERMS are becoming a popular choice for intracellular analysis. In this review, we summarize different design principles of GERMS based on various RNA recognition modules, transducer modules, and reporting systems. Some recent advances in the application of GERMS for intracellular imaging are also discussed. With further improvement in biostability, sensitivity, and robustness, GERMS can potentially be widely used in cell biology and biotechnology.
基因编码传感器已广泛应用于细胞内分子的检测，其范围涵盖从金属离子、代谢物到核酸和蛋白质等各类物质。这些生物传感器能够实时监测活细胞系统中目标化合物的细胞内水平、位置以及细胞间差异。传统上，这些传感器大多基于荧光蛋白开发。作为一种令人兴奋的替代方案，基于基因编码的RNA分子传感器（GERMS）在过去几年中崭露头角，用于细胞内各种生物靶点的成像和检测。鉴于其对多种目标分析物进行通用检测的能力以及模块化和简单的设计原则，GERMS正成为细胞内分析的热门选择。在本综述中，我们总结了基于各种RNA识别模块、换能器模块和报告系统的GERMS的不同设计原则。还讨论了GERMS在细胞内成像应用方面的一些最新进展。随着生物稳定性、灵敏度和稳健性的进一步提高，GERMS有望在细胞生物学和生物技术中得到广泛应用。
