Application of pre-amplification-based CRISPR-Cas nanostructured biosensors for bacterial detection

Bacterial infections are one of the primary triggers of global disease outbreaks. Traditional detection methods, such as bacterial culture and PCR, while reliable, are limited by their time-consuming procedures and operational complexity. In recent years, the CRISPR-Cas system has demonstrated significant potential in gene editing and diagnostics due to its high specificity and precision, offering innovative solutions for bacterial detection. By integrating pre-amplification techniques, the CRISPR-Cas system has substantially enhanced detection sensitivity, particularly excelling in detecting low-concentration target bacteria. This review summarizes the principles and application examples of CRISPR-Cas-based fluorescence, electrochemical, lateral flow, and colorimetric nanostructured biosensors developed over the past three years, categorizing them according to their recognition methods (e.g. bacterial genomes, aptamers, antibodies). It systematically explores the broad application prospects of these sensors in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety assessment. Additionally, this review discusses future research directions and potential development prospects, providing new insights and technical support for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections.