Focus on biosensors: Looking through the lens of quantitative biology

In recent years, plant biologists interested in quantifying molecules and molecular events in vivo have started to complement reporter systems with genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors (GEFBs) that directly sense an analyte. Such biosensors can allow measurements at the level of individual cells and over time. This information is proving valuable to mathematical modellers interested in representing biological phenomena in silico, because improved measurements can guide improved model construction and model parametrisation. Advances in synthetic biology have accelerated the pace of biosensor development, and the simultaneous expression of spectrally compatible biosensors now allows quantification of multiple nodes in signalling networks. For biosensors that directly respond to stimuli, targeting to specific cellular compartments allows the observation of differential accumulation of analytes in distinct organelles, bringing insights to reactive oxygen species/calcium signalling and photosynthesis research. In conjunction with improved image analysis methods, advances in biosensor imaging can help close the loop between experimentation and mathematical modelling.