Detection of environmental pollutants using transcription factor-based whole-cell biosensors.

Yuan Dou, Jianli Zhang, Xinyu Gong, Qi Gan, Shuo Yu, Yajun Yan

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Biotechnology for the environment, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Yuan DouSchool of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA.

Jianli ZhangSchool of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA.

Xinyu GongSchool of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA.

Qi GanSchool of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA.

Shuo YuSchool of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA.

Yajun YanSchool of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA.

Funding

Engineering Dynamic Control of Natural Product Biosynthesis in BacteriaR35GM128620 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · PI Yajun Yan · 2018 to 2026

$3.0M

NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM128620

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The widespread presence of heavy metals and aromatic compounds in environmental systems has emerged as a critical global concern. While conventional analytical methods such as spectroscopy and chromatography provide high precision, their substantial costs and labor-intensive procedures significantly limit their practical application in routine environmental monitoring. Transcription factor-based whole-cell biosensors represent a promising alternative technology, providing real-time, highly sensitive, and cost-effective detection capabilities for environmental pollutants. This review is a comprehensive examination of the recent advances in transcription factor-based biosensors for detecting heavy metals and aromatic compounds. We also emphasize the molecular mechanisms of diverse TF families and their real-world applications in environmental monitoring. Finally, we summarize the current engineering strategies that are employed to enhance biosensor performance and discuss future directions for improving transcription factor-based biosensors for environmental detection.

Indexed as

Aromatic compoundsEnvironmental pollutant detectionHeavy metal ionsTranscription factorsWhole-cell biosensors

Identifiers

PMID41333561

DOI10.1186/s44314-025-00032-7

PMCPMC12665635

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.