CRISPR/Cas-based nanobiosensors: A reinforced approach for specific and sensitive recognition of mycotoxins

Determination of toxic chemicals with high specificity, accuracy, and sensitivity is of great significance to identify and inhibit the distribute of life-threatening factors; and to manage pollution of water, food, and the environment. Although numerous classical diagnosis approaches are established, they show some restrictions in sensitivity, selectivity, and portability. The developing CRISPR-Cas technologies, exclusively incorporating analyte identification specificity, effective signal enhancement capabilities, and signal transduction, have superior sensitivity and specificity, presenting the enormous potential to fill the existing gaps and advance next-generation methods toward mycotoxins determination. In this study, we summarized CRISPR/Cas technologies and their properties in the sensing field. The advancement of determining mycotoxins, fungi, and their metabolites was outlined using CRISPR/Cas technologies combined with bio-transduction unites, comprising enzymatic reactions, antigen-antibody interactions, DNAzymes, aptamers, steric hindrance effectors, etc. The current prospects and challenges in this field are also put forward.