Bridging cells with devices: emerging reporters and physical interfaces for bacterial biosensors

Bacterial biosensors have emerged as versatile platforms for biomedical and environmental applications, yet their real-world deployment is constrained by limited signal readouts and weak integration with external devices. Two complementary research directions are now converging to address these gaps. First, emerging reporter systems expand the range of outputs beyond fluorescence and luminescence to include bioelectronic signals via extracellular electron transfer, acoustic reporter genes for deep-tissue ultrasound imaging, and hyperspectral reporters for large-scale remote sensing. Second, engineered interface layers, such as polymer and lipid coatings, DNA scaffolds, and inorganic or metal-organic composites, provide robust coupling between cells and their environments or external hardware. Together, these advances broaden the design space for bacterial biosensors and should accelerate their transition from proof-of-concept systems to practical tools for diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and living therapeutics.