Insight into the nanomaterials enhancement mechanism of nucleic acid amplification reactions

Nucleic acid amplification reactions (NAARs) are a term used to describe a kind of molecular biological technology in which nucleic acid replicates within a specific system, that are currently the shining stars in the field of microorganism detection, and nanomaterials are able to further enhance NAARs in terms of their specificity, yield and sensitivity. In this study, the mechanisms by which nanomaterials enhance NAARs, including those involving one kind of temperature changes reaction (PCR) and four kinds of isothermal reactions (LAMP, RPA, SDA, and HDA), are summarized. Firstly, this manuscript introduces various relevant NAARs. Secondly, it focuses on the characteristics of various nanomaterials and the latest developments in their effect on NAARs. Thirdly, the six kinds of mechanisms by which nanomaterials enhance NAARs are systematically explained, and the current applications of nanomaterial-enhancing NAARs are then introduced, including those in microorganism detection, component adulteration and biomedicine. Finally, the following four prospects are proposed: the mechanism of nucleic acid interaction on the surface of nanomaterials; the construction of nucleic acid amplification biosensors enhanced by additional nanomaterials; applicable and practical NAARs based on nanomaterials; and the regulation of enzyme activities through nanomaterial immobilization. This review serves as a comprehensive consultation for the construction of nanomaterial-enhanced nucleic acid amplification biosensors.