Phage display technology in biosensor development

The utility of phage display technology in biosensor development lies in the ability to rapidly discover novel peptide and protein modules that serve as molecular detection domains in sensor architectures. Phage display allows for connecting a protein or peptide (phenotype) to the DNA (genotype) that encodes it, allowing users to screen billion member libraries of compounds against targets of interest, while using the genetic information of the virus for both output identification and amplification. This process known as in vitro selection mimics natural selection through the use of selective pressure followed by the amplification of the selected mutant in a bacterial host cell. Because of the robust nature of phage, the output virions from a selection can sometimes be used directly in a biosensor. More commonly, the genetic information contained within the phage can be translated to a peptide, protein, or antibody that serves as the recognition domain in a biosensor. Several modalities of phage display have been utilized for discovering receptors for biosensors, including peptide display (low and high valency), antibody display, and small protein display. These phage display approaches have greatly aided in the development of novel biosensor receptors.