From nanotechnology to AI: The next generation of CRISPR-based smart biosensors for infectious disease detection

Abstract

Infectious diseases caused by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites continues to be a burden to global healthcare sector. Early and accurate detection of these pathogens are crucial for timely and appropriate treatment. Several conventional techniques have been developed for the detection of these diseases; however, these techniques have several trade-offs which include low accuracy and sensitivity, laborious, time consuming, expensive, multiple steps, the use of hazardous chemicals and reagent and the requirement of sophisticated devices, lack of point of care testing as well challenges in automation. The integration of nanotechnology in biosensing technology offer several advantages which include rapid, sensitive and accurate detection of pathogenic disease. The increase demand for high specific, point-of-care (POC) and deployable biosensors has led to the advent of CRISPR-based biosensors which are initially discovered in microorganism as part of their adaptive immune system and subsequently programmed as gene editing tool. CRISPR/Cas systems have become a powerful tool for the detection of infectious diseases due to its specificity. The biosensing platform relies on the specificity of Cas system couple with NA amplification techniques which include recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) etc. The integration of smart technology into biosensing techniques can enhance efficiency and data sharing. In this review, we will briefly discuss about the general characteristics and mechanisms of the CRISPR-Cas systems, overview conventional diagnostic approaches and biosensors, nanobiosensors, smart sensing technology, CRISPR-based biosensing strategies and prospect of smart CRISPR-based biosensors for POC testing.