Biorecognition Elements Research Articles

A Review of Apta-POF-Sensors: The Successful Coupling between Aptamers and Plastic Optical Fibers for Biosensing Applications

Aptamers represent the next frontier as biorecognition elements in biosensors thanks to a smaller size and lower molecular weight with respect to antibodies, more structural flexibility with the possibility to be regenerated, reduced batch-to-batch variation, and a potentially lower cost. Their high specificity and small size are particularly interesting for their application in optical biosensors since the perturbation of the evanescent field are low. Apart from the conventional plasmonic optical sensors, platforms based on silica and plastic optical fibers represent an interesting class of devices for point-of-care testing (POCT) in different applications. The first example of the coupling between aptamers and silica optical fibers was reported by Pollet in 2009 for the detection of IgE molecules. Six years later, the first example was published using a plastic optical fiber (POF) for the detection of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). The excellent flexibility, great numerical aperture, and the large diameter make POFs extremely promising to be coupled to aptamers for the development of a sensitive platform easily integrable in portable, small-size, and simple devices. Starting from silica fiber-based surface plasmon resonance devices, here, a focus on significant biological applications based on aptamers, combined with plasmonic-POF probes, is reported.

Photopolymer composite magnetic actuators for cell-based biosensors

Abstract Nowadays, biosensors play a significant role in numerous areas and become part of our daily life. Here, electrochemical cell-based biosensors either use cells as a biorecognition element or they can monitor physiologically relevant information of cells. One of the greatest challenges for commercialization of cell-based biosensors comes from their main component, the cells, which are complex “living” systems and very vulnerable to environmental changes. Recently, to address this issue, a novel method, the cryopreservation of cell monolayers in a ready-to-use set-up, has been introduced. To further improve this method, herein we develop photopolymer-based magnetic composites (cell carriers) by photolithographically patterning different photopolymer resins (flexible resin and SU-8 photoresist) mixed with superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. These magnetic composites were designed for cryopreservation of cells grown on them in a ready-to-use concept: it allows the on-demand transfer of the actuators to the culture environment with integrated cell-based biosensor and positioning them close to the sensor surface or taking them away for the next cell population on another actuator by an external magnetic field. The key performance characteristics of the developed magnetic composites such as being able to control their location, mobility and orientation have been demonstrated in cell culture medium.

An aptasensing platform for detection of heat shock protein 70 kDa (HSP70) using a modified gold electrode with lady fern-like gold (LFG) nanostructure

Early diagnosis of diseases depends on accessibility and the ability to detect associated biomarkers. Using aptamers and equipping signal transducers with nanomaterials have facilitated, accelerated, and provided sensitive and selective nanoaptasensors. In this study, the first aptasensor to detect heat shock protein 70 kDa (HSP70) has been developed by applying a modified gold electrode (GE) with the lady fern-like gold (LFG) nanostructure. The nanostructure solution contained HAuCl4, H2SO4, and histamine and was electrochemically synthesized on the surface of the GE with an average size of ∼20 nm. The analysis to find the optimized time for immobilization of aptamer (a single-stranded RNA) as the biorecognition element on the surface of the working electrode was performed using the open-circuit potential (OCP) technique. This aptasensor could detect HSP70 in a linear range from 0.05 to 75 ng mL−1 with the limit of detection (LOD) ∼ 0.02 ng mL−1. In order to find out about the performance of the designed aptasensor, other analytical analyses for knowing about the figure of metrics were shadowed through reproducibility, stability, regeneration, selectivity, accuracy, and precision experiments.

Functionalization of Water-Soluble Conjugated Polymers for Bioapplications.

Water-soluble conjugated polymers (WS-CPs) have found widespread use in bioapplications ranging from in vitro optical sensing to in vivo phototherapy. Modification of WS-CPs with specific molecular functional units is necessary to enable them to interact with biological targets. These targets include proteins, nucleic acids, antibodies, cells, and intracellular components. WS-CPs have been modified with covalently linked sugars, peptides, nucleic acids, biotin, proteins, and other biorecognition elements. The objective of this article is to comprehensively review the various synthetic chemistries that have been used to covalently link biofunctional groups onto WS-CP platforms. These chemistries include amidation, nucleophilic substitution, Click reactions, and conjugate addition. Different types of WS-CP backbones have been used as platforms including poly(fluorene), poly(phenylene ethynylene), polythiophene, poly(phenylenevinylene), and others. Example applications of biofunctionalized WS-CPs are also reviewed. These include examples of protein sensing, flow cytometry labeling, and cancer therapy. The major challenges and future development of functionalized conjugated polymers are also discussed.

An Allosteric Transcription Factor DNA-Binding Electrochemical Biosensor for Progesterone.

We describe an electrochemical strategy to transduce allosteric transcription factor (aTF) binding affinity to sense steroid hormones. Our approach utilizes square wave voltammetry to monitor changes in current output as a progesterone (PRG)-specific aTF (SRTF1) unbinds from the cognate DNA sequence in the presence of PRG. The sensor detects PRG in artificial urine samples with sufficient sensitivity suitable for clinical applications. Our results highlight the capability of using aTFs as the biorecognition elements to develop electrochemical point-of-care biosensors for the detection of small-molecule biomarkers and analytes.

3D printed spinning cup-shaped device for immunoaffinity solid-phase extraction of diclofenac in wastewaters

This article reports current research efforts towards designing bespoke microscale extraction approaches exploiting the versatility of 3D printing for fast prototyping of novel geometries of sorptive devices. This is demonstrated via the so-called 3D printed spinning cup-based platform for immunoextraction of emerging contaminants using diclofenac as a model analyte. A new format of rotating cylindrical scaffold (containing a semispherical upper cavity) with enhanced coverage of biorecognition elements, and providing elevated enhancement factors with no need of eluate processing as compared with other microextraction stirring units is proposed. Two distinct synthetic routes capitalized upon modification of the acrylate surface of stereolithographic 3D printed parts with hexamethylenediamine or branched polyethyleneimine chemistries were assayed for covalent binding of monoclonal diclofenac antibody.Under the optimized experimental conditions, a LOD of 108 ng L−1 diclofenac, dynamic linear range of 0.4–1,500 µg L–1, and enrichment factors > 83 (for near-exhaustive extraction) were obtained using liquid chromatography coupled with UV–Vis detection. The feasibility of the antibody-laden device for handling of complex samples was demonstrated with the analysis of raw influent wastewaters with relative recoveries ranging from 102 to 109%. By exploiting stereolithographic 3D printing, up to 36 midget devices were fabricated in a single run with an estimated cost of mere 0.68 euros per 3D print and up to 16 €/device after the incorporation of the monoclonal antibody.Graphical abstract

Extracellular chemoreceptor of deca-brominated diphenyl ether and its engineering in the hydrophobic chassis cell for organics biosensing

• Global gene expression analysis reveals a novel biorecognition receptor of PBDEs. • Chemoreceptor of PBDEs is an extracellular Cache domain-containing sensor protein. • Sensor protein is displayed on the cell membrane of a hydrophobic chassis cell. • Hydrophobic whole-cell biosensor provides a specific and sensitive response to PBDEs. • It provides a new approach for quality monitoring and toxicity assessing of organics. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) belong to a group of persistent organic pollutants and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. Detection and monitoring of these compounds therefore is of great interest and need for remediation and health risk assessment. However, no specific receptor protein can be used as a biorecognition element for the development of PBDE-detecting whole-cell biosensor until now. The lack of knowledge of PBDEs metabolic pathways of bacteria and of bacterial regulatory networks is the main limitation in the successful biosensor design. In this study, the global gene expression analysis of promoter activation as a consequence of deca-BDE exposure led to the finding of a novel sensory element, extracellular Cache domain-containing sensor protein Chr1_2466, for specific biorecognition of PBDEs. A genetically engineered hydrophobic chassis cell, Sphingobium xenophagum C1, expressing firefly luciferase in place of Chr1_2466 on the cell membrane served as a whole-cell biosensor for PBDEs detecting. This biosensor was highly specific for PBDEs and had minimal interference from their structural analogues polychlorinated biphenyls, diphenyl ether, phenol, metals, and inorganic ions. The extracellular luminescence intensity of the hydrophobic whole-cell biosensor showed a linear relationship (R 2 = 0.98) from 0.05 to 6.0 µM of deca-BDE with a detection limit of 0.01 µM and a cytotoxicity threshold of 6.25 µM. Compared to the hydrophilic strain as chassis cell, such hydrophobic biosensor significantly increased the bioavailability and detection sensitivity of PBDEs. It provides a new approach for quality monitoring and toxicity assessing of hydrophobic organics.

Kirigami paper-based colorimetric immunosensor integrating smartphone readout for determination of humoral autoantibody immune response

Ultrasensitive, rapid, and low-cost paper-based immunodevice integrating a smartphone platform to detect ultra-low concentrations of tumour-specific anti-p53 autoantibodies (anti-p53aAbs) in human serum samples was developed. The immunodevice was fabricated based on the principles of kirigami (paper cutting and pasting art). It consisted of hydrophilic paper discs sandwiched between a superhydrophobic paper basement and polyethylene terephthalate-ethylene vinyl acetate (PET-EVA) laminate to delineate the sensing discs. The human p53 antigen (p53Ag) was covalently immobilized onto the pre-functionalized paper disc and used as the biorecognition element to capture anti-p53aAbs in human serum samples. The Fe3O4@SiO2-prNH2-Au@Pd0.30NPs-anti-IgG immunonanoprobes were used as the catalytic label for substrate (TMB/H2O2) oxidation, which generates blue colourimetric spots on the paper sensor. A smartphone installed on a custom-made imaging photo box equipped with colour analysis software was used as a reader to capture and quantitatively analyze the images. The immunodevice exhibited a linear increase in the colour pixel intensity with increasing concentrations of anti-p53aAbs from 10 pg.mL−1 to 25.0 ng.mL−1, with a sensitivity of 1.05 pixel.mL.pg−1 and a detection limit of 3.1 pg.mL−1. The fabricated proof-of-concept immunodevice could provide a simple, affordable, and minimally invasive method for cancer diagnosis at point-of-care.

Electrochemical sensors for the determination of carbofuran in natural objects (a review)

The review is devoted to the analysis of literature data on the development of modern electrochemical sensors for the determination of carbofuran in natural objects (water, soil, food). Sensors for the determination of carbofuran can be conditionally divided into two groups according to the type of electrode materials used: carbon-containing and biosensors. Carbon-containing sensors manufactured using nanotechnologies based on 0D – 3D allotropic modifications of carbon (carbon black, graphene, carbon nanotubes, fullerene) exhibit unique properties such as structural polymorphism, high surface area, thermal and chemical stability, biocompatibility, and original catalytic properties. At the same time, biosensors are considered promising analytical systems that complement traditional analytical methods due to the possibility of rapid on-site monitoring and miniaturization. Currently, biosensors used for the determination of carbofuran are mainly divided (proceeding from the type of bio-recognition elements) into enzyme biosensors (acetylcholinesterase and other enzymes) and immunosensors (antibodies and aptamers). Two detailed tables present data on electrochemical sensors developed for the determination of carbofuran in natural objects, including their advantages and shortcomings. All the developed sensors for the determination of carbofuran are characterized by high sensitivity, selectivity, rapidity, and low manufacturing cost, which makes electroanalytical methods a worthy alternative to the methods of analysis traditionally used for the determination of pesticides (liquid and gas chromatography, spectrophotometry, capillary electrophoresis, etc.). Preparation of vegetable and fruit samples for analysis using sensors of various types is described: the main stage of sample preparation is the alkaline hydrolysis of carbofuran, which is electrochemically inactive, to carbofuran-phenol. This review may be of interest to laboratories for the quality control of agricultural products and foodstuffs.

Wearable plasmonic paper-based microfluidics for continuous sweat analysis.

Wearable sweat sensors have the potential to provide clinically meaningful information associated with the health and disease states of individuals. Current sensors mainly rely on enzymes and antibodies as biorecognition elements to achieve specific quantification of metabolite and stress biomarkers in sweat. However, enzymes and antibodies are prone to degrade over time, compromising the sensor performance. Here, we introduce a wearable plasmonic paper–based microfluidic system for continuous and simultaneous quantitative analysis of sweat loss, sweat rate, and metabolites in sweat. Plasmonic sensors based on label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can provide chemical “fingerprint” information for analyte identification. We demonstrate the sensitive detection and quantification of uric acid in sweat at physiological and pathological concentrations. The well-defined flow characteristics of paper microfluidic devices enable accurate quantification of sweat loss and sweat rate. The wearable plasmonic device is soft, flexible, and stretchable, which can robustly interface with the skin without inducing chemical or physical irritation.

Rapid, Sensitive On-Site Detection of Deoxynivalenol in Cereals Using Portable and Reusable Evanescent Wave Optofluidic Immunosensor.

This paper develops an improved portable and reusable evanescent wave optofluidic immunosensor (OIP-v2) for rapid and sensitive on-site determination of deoxynivalenol (DON), one of the most frequently detected mycotoxins mainly produced by Fusarium species. Using the bifunctional reagent N,N′-Disuccinimidyl carbonate, deoxynivalenol-bovine-serum-albumin (DON-BSA) were covalently modified onto a bio-probe surface as biorecognition elements, whose robustness allowed it to perform multiple detections without significant activity loss. An indirect competitive immunoassay strategy was applied for DON detection. Under optimal conditions, the limit of detection of 0.11 μg/L and the linear dynamic detection range of 0.43 to 36.61 μg/L was obtained when the concentration of the Cy5.5-anti-DON antibody was 0.25 μg/mL. The OIP-v2 was also applied to detect DON in various cereals, and the recoveries ranged from 81% to 127%. The correlation between OIP-v2 and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) through the simultaneous detection of maize-positive samples was in good agreement (R2 = 0.9891).

Recent Advances in Quartz Crystal Microbalance Biosensors Based on the Molecular Imprinting Technique for Disease-Related Biomarkers

The molecular imprinting technique is a quickly developing field of interest regarding the synthesis of artificial recognition elements that enable the specific determination of target molecule/analyte from a matrix. Recently, these smart materials can be successfully applied to biomolecule detection in biomimetic biosensors. These biosensors contain a biorecognition element (a bioreceptor) and a transducer, like their biosensor analogs. Here, the basic difference is that molecular imprinting-based biosensors use a synthetic recognition element. Molecular imprinting polymers used as the artificial recognition elements in biosensor platforms are complementary in shape, size, specific binding sites, and functionality to their template analytes. Recent progress in biomolecular recognition has supplied extra diagnostic and treatment methods for various diseases. Cost-effective, more robust, and high-throughput assays are needed for monitoring biomarkers in clinical settings. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensors are promising tools for the real-time and quick detection of biomolecules in the past two decades A quick, simple-to-use, and cheap biomarkers detection technology based on biosensors has been developed. This critical review presents current applications in molecular imprinting-based quartz crystal microbalance biosensors for the quantification of biomarkers for disease monitoring and diagnostic results.

Early stage evaluation of colon cancer using tungsten disulfide quantum dots and bacteriophage nano-biocomposite as an efficient electrochemical platform

BackgroundRecently, biosensors have become popular analytical tools for small analytes due to their high sensitivity and wide analytical range. In the present work, development of a novel biosensing method based on tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS2 QDs)-Au for rapidly and selectively detecting c-Met protein is introduced. As a proof of concept, M13 bacteriophage-based biosensors were used for the electrochemical detection of c-Met protein as a colon cancer biomarker.MethodThe M13 bacteriophage (virus), as the biorecognition element, was immobilized on glassy carbon electrodes which were modified by WS2 QDs-functionalized gold nanoparticles. The stepwise presence of the WS2 QDs, gold nanoparticles, and immobilized phage on glassy carbon electrodes were confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) technique.ResultsThe designed biosensor was applied to measure the amount of c-Met protein in standard solutions, and consequently the desirable detection limit of 1 pg was obtained. Finally, as a proof of concept, the developed platform was used for the evaluation of c-Met protein in serum samples of colon cancer-suffering patients and the results were compared with the results of the common Elisa kit.ConclusionsAs an interesting part of this study, some concentrations of the c-Met protein in colon cancer serum samples which could not be determined by Elisa, were easily analyzed by the developed bioassay system. The developed bioassay system has great potential to application in biomedical laboratories.Graphical

Wearable electrochemical biosensors to measure biomarkers with complex blood-to-sweat partition such as proteins and hormones

Smart electronic devices based on micro-controllers, also referred to as fashion electronics, have raised wearable technology. These devices may process physiological information to facilitate the wearer's immediate biofeedback in close contact with the body surface. Standard market wearable devices detect observable features as gestures or skin conductivity. In contrast, the technology based on electrochemical biosensors requires a biomarker in close contact with both a biorecognition element and an electrode surface, where electron transfer phenomena occur. The noninvasiveness is pivotal for wearable technology; thus, one of the most common target tissues for real-time monitoring is the skin. Noninvasive biosensors formats may not be available for all analytes, such as several proteins and hormones, especially when devices are installed cutaneously to measure in the sweat. Processes like cutaneous transcytosis, the paracellular cell–cell unions, or even reuptake highly regulate the solutes content of the sweat. This review discusses recent advances on wearable devices based on electrochemical biosensors for biomarkers with a complex blood-to-sweat partition like proteins and some hormones, considering the commented release regulation mechanisms to the sweat. It highlights the challenges of wearable epidermal biosensors (WEBs) design and the possible solutions. Finally, it charts the path of future developments in the WEBs arena in converging/emerging digital technologies.Graphical abstract

Printed Ultrastable Bioplasmonic Microarrays for Point-of-Need Biosensing.

Paper-based point-of-need (PON) biosensors are attractive for various applications, including food safety, agriculture, disease diagnosis, and drug screening, owing to their low cost and ease of use. However, existing paper-based biosensors mainly rely on biolabels, colorimetric reagents, and biorecognition elements and exhibit limited stability under harsh environments. Here, we report a label-free paper-based biosensor composed of bioplasmonic microarrays for sensitive detection and quantification of protein targets in small volumes of biofluids. Bioplasmonic microarrays were printed using an ultrastable bioplasmonic ink, rendering the PON sensors excellent thermal, chemical, and biological stability for their reliable performance in resource-limited settings. We fabricated silicone hydrophobic barriers and bioplasmonic microarrays with direct writing and droplet jetting approaches on a three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous paper. Direct writing hydrophobic barriers can define hydrophilic channels less than 100 μm wide. High-resolution patterning of hydrophilic test domains enables the handling and analysis of small fluid volumes. We show that the plasmonic sensors based on a vertical flow assay provide similar sensitivity and low limit of detection with a 60 μL sample volume compared to those with 500 μL samples based on an immersion approach and can shorten assay time from 90 to 20 min.

Detection and Characterization of Bacterial Biofilms and Biofilm-Based Sensors.

Microbial biofilms have caused serious concerns in healthcare, medical, and food industries because of their intrinsic resistance against conventional antibiotics and cleaning procedures and their capability to firmly adhere on surfaces for persistent contamination. These global issues strongly motivate researchers to develop novel methodologies to investigate the kinetics underlying biofilm formation, to understand the response of the biofilm with different chemical and physical treatments, and to identify biofilm-specific drugs with high-throughput screenings. Meanwhile microbial biofilms can also be utilized positively as sensing elements in cell-based sensors due to their strong adhesion on surfaces. In this perspective, we provide an overview on the connections between sensing and microbial biofilms, focusing on tools used to investigate biofilm properties, kinetics, and their response to chemicals or physical agents, and biofilm-based sensors, a type of biosensor using the bacterial biofilm as a biorecognition element to capture the presence of the target of interest by measuring the metabolic activity of the immobilized microbial cells. Finally we discuss possible new research directions for the development of robust and rapid biofilm related sensors with high temporal and spatial resolutions, pertinent to a wide range of applications.

Designing a Highly Stable Enzyme–Graphene Oxide Biohybrid as a Sensitive Biorecognition Module for Biosensor Fabrication with Superior Performance and Stability

Biosensors are developed for monitoring signal molecules in a simple and rapid way, but their performance and stability are mainly limited by unstable biorecognition elements. Herein, we used a predesigned bioinorganic catalytic composite (nOPH10@GO) as a sensitive biological material to fabricate a high-performance organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH)-based biosensor. At first, the stability of OPH was enhanced through the in situ radical polymerization to generate an OPH nanocapsule (nOPH10), which was then assembled on graphene oxide (GO) to form a bioinorganic hybrid (nOPH10@GO). We confirmed the successful formation of a polymer shell on an enzyme surface and subsequently investigated its protective effects using the thermal treatment and organic solvent test. Compared to native OPH, nOPH10 exhibited enhanced enzymatic performance and stability, which could be also observed on the proposed electrode (nOPH10@GO/GCE). Specifically, nOPH10@GO/GCE can work steadily in the presence of different external stimuli and exhibited improved selectivity and stability. More importantly, owing to the enhanced catalytic activity of nOPH10@GO, the fabricated biosensor presented a wider linear range (0.2–60 μM), a lower limit of detection (0.013 μM), and higher repeatability and reproducibility in comparison with the naked enzyme electrode (OPH@GO/GCE). Our results highlighted the importance of the rational predesign of biorecognition materials in the development of a high-performance biosensing platform.

Detection of a Double-Stranded MGMT Gene Using Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide (ErGO) Electrodes Decorated with AuNPs and Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNA).

The ability to detect double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as a biomarker without denaturing it to single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) continues to be a major challenge. In this work, we report a sandwich biosensor for the detection of the ds-methylated MGMT gene, a potential biomarker for brain tumors and breast cancer. The purpose of this biosensor is to achieve simultaneous recognition of the gene sequence, as well as the presence of methylation. The biosensor is based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrodes decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and uses Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) that binds to the ds-MGMT gene. The reduction of GO was performed in two ways: electrochemically (ErGO) and thermally (TrGO). XPS and Raman spectroscopy, as well as voltammetry techniques, showed that the ErGO was more efficiently reduced, had a higher C/O ratio, showed a smaller crystallite size of the sp2 lattice, and was more stable during measurement. It was also revealed that the electro-deposition of the AuNPs was more successful on the ErGO surface due to the higher At% of Au on the ErGO electrode. Therefore, the ErGO/AuNPs electrode was used to develop biosensors to detect the ds-MGMT gene. PNA, which acts as a bio-recognition element, was used to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the ErGO/AuNPs surface via the amine-AuNPs interaction, recognizing the ds-MGMT gene sequence by its invasion of the double-stranded DNA and the formation of a triple helix. The methylation was then detected using biotinylated-anti-5mC, which was then measured using the amperometric technique. The selectivity study showed that the proposed biosensor was able to distinguish between blank, non-methylated, non-complementary, and target dsDNA spiked in mouse plasma. The LOD was calculated to be 0.86 pM with a wide linear range of 1 pM to 50 µM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on using PNA to detect ds-methylated DNA. This sandwich design can be modified to detect other methylated genes, making it a promising platform to detect ds-methylated biomarkers.

Optical Biomedical Diagnostics Using Lab-on-Fiber Technology: A Review

Point-of-care and in-vivo bio-diagnostic tools are the current need for the present critical scenarios in the healthcare industry. The past few decades have seen a surge in research activities related to solving the challenges associated with precise on-site bio-sensing. Cutting-edge fiber optic technology enables the interaction of light with functionalized fiber surfaces at remote locations to develop a novel, miniaturized and cost-effective lab on fiber technology for bio-sensing applications. The recent remarkable developments in the field of nanotechnology provide innumerable functionalization methodologies to develop selective bio-recognition elements for label free biosensors. These exceptional methods may be easily integrated with fiber surfaces to provide highly selective light-matter interaction depending on various transduction mechanisms. In the present review, an overview of optical fiber-based biosensors has been provided with focus on physical principles used, along with the functionalization protocols for the detection of various biological analytes to diagnose the disease. The design and performance of these biosensors in terms of operating range, selectivity, response time and limit of detection have been discussed. In the concluding remarks, the challenges associated with these biosensors and the improvement required to develop handheld devices to enable direct target detection have been highlighted.

Ultrasensitive Aptasensors for the Detection of Viruses Based on Opto-Electrochemical Readout Systems.

Viral infections are becoming the foremost driver of morbidity, mortality and economic loss all around the world. Treatment for diseases associated to some deadly viruses are challenging tasks, due to lack of infrastructure, finance and availability of rapid, accurate and easy-to-use detection methods or devices. The emergence of biosensors has proven to be a success in the field of diagnosis to overcome the challenges associated with traditional methods. Furthermore, the incorporation of aptamers as bio-recognition elements in the design of biosensors has paved a way towards rapid, cost-effective, and specific detection devices which are insensitive to changes in the environment. In the last decade, aptamers have emerged to be suitable and efficient biorecognition elements for the detection of different kinds of analytes, such as metal ions, small and macro molecules, and even cells. The signal generation in the detection process depends on different parameters; one such parameter is whether the labelled molecule is incorporated or not for monitoring the sensing process. Based on the labelling, biosensors are classified as label or label-free; both have their significant advantages and disadvantages. Here, we have primarily reviewed the advantages for using aptamers in the transduction system of sensing devices. Furthermore, the labelled and label-free opto-electrochemical aptasensors for the detection of various kinds of viruses have been discussed. Moreover, numerous globally developed aptasensors for the sensing of different types of viruses have been illustrated and explained in tabulated form.