Switch-based biosensors: a new approach towards real-time, in vivo molecular detection

Although the ability to monitor specific molecules in vivo in real-time could revolutionize many aspects of healthcare, the technological challenges that stand in the way of reaching this goal are considerable and are poorly met by most existing analytical approaches. Nature, however, has already solved the problem of real-time molecular detection in complex media by employing biomolecular “switches”. That is, protein and nucleic acids that sense chemical cues and, by undergoing specific, binding-induced conformational changes, transduce this recognition into high-gain signal outputs. Here, we argue that devices that employ such switches represent a promising route towards versatile, real-time molecular monitoring in vivo.