Detection of environmental pollutants using transcription factor-based whole-cell biosensors

The widespread presence of heavy metals and aromatic compounds in environmental systems has emerged as a critical global concern. While conventional analytical methods such as spectroscopy and chromatography provide high precision, their substantial costs and labor-intensive procedures significantly limit their practical application in routine environmental monitoring. Transcription factor-based whole-cell biosensors represent a promising alternative technology, providing real-time, highly sensitive, and cost-effective detection capabilities for environmental pollutants. This review is a comprehensive examination of the recent advances in transcription factor-based biosensors for detecting heavy metals and aromatic compounds. We also emphasize the molecular mechanisms of diverse TF families and their real-world applications in environmental monitoring. Finally, we summarize the current engineering strategies that are employed to enhance biosensor performance and discuss future directions for improving transcription factor-based biosensors for environmental detection.