Biosensors articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master regulator of cellular metabolism, but how AMPK activity is spatiotemporally regulated remains unclear. Here, Schmitt et al develop a sensitive biosensor for AMPK, which they use to uncover mechanisms for AMPK activity in the lysosome and nucleus.

    • Danielle L. Schmitt
    • , Stephanie D. Curtis
    •  & Jin Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Measuring the mass of individual microbial cells remains challenging. Here, the authors present a cell balance to monitor the proliferation of single budding yeast cells under culture conditions in real time, showing that single cells increase total mass in multiple linear segments of constant growth rates.

    • Andreas P. Cuny
    • , K. Tanuj Sapra
    •  & Daniel J. Müller

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Conductive events during nanopore sensing, are seen typically under low salt conditions and widely thought to arise from counterions brought into the pore via analyte. Here, authors show that an imbalance of ionic fluxes lead to conductive events.

    • Lauren S. Lastra
    • , Y. M. Nuwan D. Y. Bandara
    •  & Kevin J. Freedman

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nanoelectrodes for measuring intracellular action potentials suffer from issues with success rate, signal strength and fabrication. Here, the authors report on a scalable technique which creates robust nanocrown electrodes with high success rates by electroporation and demonstrate the advance towards preclinical drug evaluation.

    • Zeinab Jahed
    • , Yang Yang
    •  & Bianxiao Cui

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Open microfluidics enables precise positioning of liquid sample with direct channel access. Here, authors demonstrate a geometrical solution for actively manipulating open microchannels using a wireless radio frequency signal.

    • Christopher T. Ertsgaard
    • , Daehan Yoo
    •  & Sang-Hyun Oh

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In the context of enviromental applications, refining enzymes into more minimalist structures could ease production costs, improve stability, and improve reusability. Here, the authors report a single amino acid bionanozyme that can catalyze the rapid oxidation of environmentally toxic phenolic contaminates and serves as a tool to detect biologically important neurotransmitters similar to the laccase enzyme.

    • Pandeeswar Makam
    • , Sharma S. R. K. C. Yamijala
    •  & Ehud Gazit

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In this manuscript, an electric-field-assisted self-assembly technique that can allow controllable and scalable fabrication of 3-dimensional block copolymer (BCP)-based artificial cell membranes (3DBCPMs) immobilized on predefined locations is presented.

    Topographically and chemically structured microwell array templates facilitate uniform patterning of BCPs and serve as reactors for the effective growth of 3DBCPMs, which diverse shapes, sizes and stability can be tuned by modulating the BCP concentration and the amplitude/frequency of the electric field.

    The potential of 3DBCPMs for a variety of biological applications is highlighted by performance of in vitro protein-membrane assays and mimicking of human intestinal organs.

    • Dong-Hyun Kang
    • , Won Bae Han
    •  & Tae Song Kim

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Simple methods for attaching polynucleotides to gold nanoparticles are of interest for simplifying conjugation in a range of applications. Here, the authors report a microwave heating-based method for the fast, one-step attachment of a range of thiolated or non-thiolated DNA and RNA to gold nanoparticles.

    • Mengqi Huang
    • , Erhu Xiong
    •  & Xiaoming Zhou

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, the authors introduce a biosensing platform with multi-length-scale electrode architecture consisting of 3D printed silver micropillars decorated with graphene flakes. They demonstrate that this breaks a barrier to the biomolecule limit-of-detection, enabling detection down to femtomolar level.

    • Md. Azahar Ali
    • , Chunshan Hu
    •  & Rahul Panat

  • Article
    | Open Access

    l-lactate is an important intercellular energy currency. Here the authors report a genetically encoded biosensor eLACCO1.1 to monitor extracellular l-lactate; they use eLACCO1.1 to image extracellular l-lactate in cultured mammalian cells and brain tissue.

    • Yusuke Nasu
    • , Ciaran Murphy-Royal
    •  & Robert E. Campbell

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Surface plasmon resonance is well established for biosensing applications, but commonly limited by complex optical detection. Here, the authors present a plasmonic sensor integrated in a photovoltaic cell, which generates an electronic signal sensitive to the solution refractive index via plasmon interaction

    • Giles Allison
    • , Amrita Kumar Sana
    •  & Hironori Suzuki

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cell death is a critical process in health and disease, yet available markers record later stages of cell death once a cell has already begun to decompose. Here the authors show the use of a genetically encoded calcium indicator that demarcates an irreversible stage of cell death earlier than previously possible.

    • Jeremy W. Linsley
    • , Kevan Shah
    •  & Steven Finkbeiner

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The typical approach to electronics is to integrate sensors, power units, and controlling components on a printed circuit board (PCB). Here, the authors demonstrate a self-powered and fully integrated combination of sensors and controlling components that is woven, rather than integrated onto a PCB, allowing for wearable health monitoring.”

    • Yuxin Yang
    • , Xiaofei Wei
    •  & Xing Fan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors have recently developed molecular force microscopy (MFM) which uses fluorescence polarisation to measure cell-surface receptor force orientation. Here they show that structured illumination microscopes, which inherently use fluorescence polarisation, can be used for MFM in a turn-key manner.

    • Aaron Blanchard
    • , J. Dale Combs
    •  & Khalid Salaita

  • Review Article
    | Open Access

    This review presents an overview of scenarios where van der Waals (vdW) materials provide unique advantages for nanophotonic biosensing applications. The authors discuss basic sensing principles based on vdW materials, advantages of the reduced dimensionality as well as technological challenges.

    • Sang-Hyun Oh
    • , Hatice Altug
    •  & Michael S. Strano

  • Article
    | Open Access

    SERS assays have potential for multiplexed detection of biomarkers but differentiation of SERS tags remains a challenge. Here, the authors report the creation of 14 distinct geometrically controlled metal carbonyl tags and demonstrate multiplexed detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma biomarkers from patient blood.

    • Duo Lin
    • , Chang-Lin Hsieh
    •  & Kien Voon Kong

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Dielectric metasurfaces have different Q-factor and light localisation requirements for sensing and imaging. Here, the authors present a dielectric metasurface, supporting two optical modes with sharp Fano resonances for high Q-factors and strong spatial confinement, allowing both sensing and imaging.

    • Donato Conteduca
    • , Isabel Barth
    •  & Thomas F. Krauss

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A major challenge across a variety of fields is how to process the vast quantities of data produced by sensors without large computation resources. Here, the authors present a neuromorphic chip which can detect a relevant signature of epileptogenic tissue from intracranial recordings in patients.

    • Mohammadali Sharifshazileh
    • , Karla Burelo
    •  & Giacomo Indiveri

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) nanoparticles (NPs) are a promising material for diverse applications, but TTA-UC is sensitive to oxygen, which hinders its biological utility. Here, the authors report an enzymatic method to deplete oxygen and amplify the upconversion of TTA-UCNP in aqueous solution, and develop background-free glucose and glucose metabolism enzyme sensors.

    • Ling Huang
    • , Timmy Le
    •  & Gang Han

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Single-molecule fluorescence currently requires specialized imaging equipment due to the low signal of a single emitter. Here the authors introduce NanoAntennas with Cleared HOtSpots (NACHOS) to boost the signal sufficient for detection of a single emitter by a smartphone, opening the door to point-of-care applications.

    • Kateryna Trofymchuk
    • , Viktorija Glembockyte
    •  & Philip Tinnefeld

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Reliable plasmonic biosensors with high throughput and ease of use are highly sought after. Here, the authors report a plasmon-enhanced fluorescence antibody-aptamer biosensor based on a gold nanoparticle array, and demonstrate its use for effective specific detection of a malaria marker, at femtomolar level, in whole blood.

    • Antonio Minopoli
    • , Bartolomeo Della Ventura
    •  & Raffaele Velotta

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The ability to measure strain in cells and tissues in vitro with minimal perturbation and at high spatial resolution has proven challenging. Here the authors develop a fluorescently-labelled fibronectin square lattice mesh that can be applied to the surface of cells and tissues to enable direct quantification and mapping of strain over time.

    • Daniel J. Shiwarski
    • , Joshua W. Tashman
    •  & Adam W. Feinberg

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Protein identification at the single-molecule level is the ultimate goal for biological research and disease diagnosis. Here, the authors identify the size, charge, mobility, and binding of individual protein molecules by measuring the optical and electrical responses of each protein molecule tethered to a surface.

    • Guangzhong Ma
    • , Zijian Wan
    •  & Nongjian Tao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A key attribute for modern healthcare is the ability to detect low concentrations of biomarkers. Here, the authors use nanopores and DNA origami with target-specific aptamers for detection of CRP.

    • Mukhil Raveendran
    • , Andrew J. Lee
    •  & Paolo Actis

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Conventional bioluminescence imaging usually operates in the visible region and its performance is limited by strong tissue absorption and scattering. Here, the authors present bioluminescence probes (BPs) with emission in the second near infrared (NIR-II) region, and show the NIR-II-BPs could sensitively recognize tumor metastasis with a high tumor-to-normal tissue ratio.

    • Lingfei Lu
    • , Benhao Li
    •  & Fan Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Previous design strategies for pH sensitive aptamers were not readily tunable across pH ranges. Here the authors present a general method to convert aptamers into pH-responsive switches using two orthogonal motifs.

    • Ian A. P. Thompson
    • , Liwei Zheng
    •  & H. Tom Soh

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Label-free trapping of nanoparticles via dielectophoretic forces is traditionally done with electrodes in a horizontal gap layout. Here, the authors present a vertical nanogap architecture, which allows for precise capture and spatiotemporal manipulation of nanoparticles and molecular assemblies.

    • Eui-Sang Yu
    • , Hyojin Lee
    •  & Yong-Sang Ryu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Field effect transistors based on graphene hold promise for sensing applications. Here, the authors report a millimeter-sized transistor based on deformed graphene as a biosensor that can detect nucleic acid molecules having detection limit of ~18 molecules of DNA in physiological buffer solution and ~600 molecules in human serum.

    • Michael Taeyoung Hwang
    • , Mohammad Heiranian
    •  & Rashid Bashir

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Bacteria represent an unexploited reservoir of biosensing proteins. Here the authors use genomic screens and functional assays to isolate a progesterone sensing allosteric transcription factor and use a FRET-based method to develop an optical progesterone sensor.

    • Chloé Grazon
    • , R C. Baer
    •  & James E. Galagan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hydrogen can be used to reduce the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), but its delivery to diseased tissues is challenging due to its low solubility. Here the authors develop a photosynthesis-inspired FRET nanocomplex to detect and scavenge local excess of ROS in the tissue using photocatalytic hydrogen production.

    • Wei-Lin Wan
    • , Bo Tian
    •  & Hsing-Wen Sung

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in embryonic development, wound healing and cancer. Here the authors develop an electrochemical sensor to detect EMT using E-cadherin antibody-quantum dot conjugates and a carbon nanotube-gold nanoparticle-modified electrode as a detection platform.

    • Xin Du
    • , Zhenhua Zhang
    •  & Jun Zhou

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is an emergent method for the detection and discrimination of biological analytes. Here, the authors describe SERS sensors with arrayed mildly-selective surface chemistries to give a fingerprint based on different interactions for analysing biological samples.

    • Nayoung Kim
    • , Michael R. Thomas
    •  & Molly M. Stevens

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers from patients’ blood is challenging because these are present in very low concentrations in the plasma. Here the authors develop a sensor array of densely aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes for clinically accurate detection of femtomolar AD biomarkers in human plasma samples.

    • Kayoung Kim
    • , Min-Ji Kim
    •  & Chan Beum Park

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Traditional ratiometric temperature monitoring is challenging due to the variation in tissue absorption and scattering of different wavelengths. Here, the authors show improved accuracy by using emission at the same wavelength, but different luminescent lifetimes decoded by a time-resolved technique.

    • Xiaochen Qiu
    • , Qianwen Zhou
    •  & Fuyou Li

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Engineered biological nanopores enable observation of single molecule chemistry events; however a cylindrical pore geometry can have undesired effects. The authors report a conical biological pore which was embedded with tetrachloroaurate(III) to allow for discrimination between different biothiols.

    • Jiao Cao
    • , Wendong Jia
    •  & Shuo Huang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Active translocation of DNA through nanopores usually needs enzyme assistance. Here authors present a nanopore derived from helicase E1 of bovine papillomavirus (BPV) which acts as a conductive pore embedded in lipid membrane to allow the translocation of ssDNA and unwinding of dsDNA.

    • Ke Sun
    • , Changjian Zhao
    •  & Jia Geng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Aptamer switches are promising biotechnological tools but coupling of their affinity and temporal response limits their versatility. Here, the authors developed an intramolecular strand-displacement strategy that allows for independent fine-tuning of thermodynamics and kinetics of aptamer switches.

    • Brandon D. Wilson
    • , Amani A. Hariri
    •  & H. Tom Soh

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Microalbuminuria, a clinical marker associated with cancer and hypertension, defined by low albumin levels in the urine, is normally detected by immunoassay. Herein, a nanosensor paint was developed using a polymer to mimic fatty acid binding to albumin, transduced by carbon nanotube fluorescence.

    • Januka Budhathoki-Uprety
    • , Janki Shah
    •  & Daniel A. Heller

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Many ligand-binding assays still rely on signals that scale linearly with probe concentration. The authors present lasing detection probes with a dye-labelled virus as the gain medium to optically amplify the signal, which could enable much higher signals than for fluorescent quantification.

    • John E. Hales
    • , Guy Matmon
    •  & Gabriel Aeppli

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