Novel biosensing methodologies for improving the detection of single nucleotide polymorphism

The growing volume of sequence data confirm more and more candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are believed to reveal the genetic basis of individual susceptibility to disease and the diverse responses to treatment. There is therefore an urgent demand for developing the sensitive, rapid, easy-to-use, and cost-effective method to identify SNPs. During the last two decades, biosensing techniques have been developed by integrating the unique specificity of biological reactions and the high sensitivity of physical sensors, which provided significant advantages for the detection of SNPs. In this feature article, we focused attention on the strategies of SNP genotyping based on biosensors, including nucleic acid analogs, surface ligation reaction, single base extension, mismatch binding protein, molecular beacon, rolling circle amplification, and strand-displacement amplification. In addition, the perspectives on their advantages, current limitations, and future trends were also discussed. The biosensing technique would provide a promising alternative for the detection of SNPs, and pave the way for the diagnosis of genetic diseases and the design of appropriate treatments.