Magnetic particles-integrated CRISPR/Cas systems for biosensing

CRISPR/Cas systems have become powerful tools for biosensing due to their designability and precise targeting. These systems offer the capability to recognize and cleave specific DNA and RNA sequences with remarkable accuracy. Moreover, the Cas proteins possess the capacity for cis-cleavage or trans-cleavage after target sequence recognition. To rapid and sensitive detection, the integration of magnetic particles (MPs) into CRISPR/Cas-based biosensors has been explored. MPs exhibit excellent features such as easy surface modification, superparamagnetism, and biocompatibility. Consequently, significant efforts have been devoted to developing MPs-integrated CRISPR/Cas-based biosensors for analyzing various targets. This review focuses on the current advancements in MPs-integrated CRISPR/Cas-based biosensors, with a specific emphasis on the sensing principle and performance of these biosensors. The commonly used CRISPR/Cas9, CRISPR/Cas12a, and CRISPR/Cas13a systems are discussed and highlighted. Finally, the review addresses the prospects and challenges associated with the design of biosensing strategies based on MPs and CRISPR/Cas systems.