Extension characteristics of TdT and its application in biosensors

Abstract

The advantages of rapid amplification of nucleic acid without a template based on terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT) have been widely used in the field of biosensors. However, the catalytic efficiency of TdT is affected by extension conditions. The sensitivity of TdT- mediated biosensors can be improved only under appropriate conditions. Therefore, in this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of TdT extension characteristics and its applications in biosensors. We focus on the relationship between TdT extension conditions and extension efficiency. Furthermore, the construction strategy of TdT-mediated biosensors according to five different recognition types and their applications in targets are discussed and, finally, several current challenges and prospects in the field are taken into consideration.

Highlights

• Brief introduction to terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT) characteristics.

• Provided a systematic and comprehensive summary of TdT extension conditions.

• Summarized the four effect factors of catalytic efficiency based on extension conditions and enzyme conformation.

• Sensing strategies of TdT-mediated biosensors for five different recognitions were summarized in detail.

• The applications of TdT-mediated biosensors in six targets were introduced in detail.

Keywords:

• Terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase
• extension conditions
• catalytic efficiency
• sensing strategy
• biosensor
• recognition types

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32372442), Beijing Science and Technology Planning Project (Z221100007122004), Beijing Innovation Consortium of Agriculture Research System (BAIC01); 2115 Talent Training Plan of China Agricultural University (00109012); and the Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program by BAST (BYESS2022133).