Next Article in Journal
XAI-Supported Electronic Tongue for Estimating Milk Composition and Adulteration Indicators
Next Article in Special Issue
Magnetometry for Agriculture and Animal Systems: From Classical Sensors to Quantum-Enabled Biosensing
Previous Article in Journal
Development of an Electrochemical Platform Based on Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Embedded onto Montmorillonite Clay Functionalized with Phenylalanine for the Nano-Sensing of Acetaminophen in Pharmaceutical Tablets
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Biosensors
Volume 16
Issue 5
10.3390/bios16050243
biosensors-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors Enable Noninvasive Real-Time Visualization of Nitrate Dynamics in Intact Living Plants

by
Li Zhang
1,
Qing Xu
1,
Changxu Wang
1,
Jinfeng Wang
1,
Jing Yue
1,
Yin Lu
1,
Guangle Zhang
1,
Lixue Yuan
1,
Yonghua Wang
1,2,3,
Bo Yu
1,2,3,* and
Guozhang Kang
1,2,3,*
1
The National Engineering Research Center for Wheat, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
2
The State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Production of Wheat-Maize Double Cropping, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
3
Functional Crop Engineering Center in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Biosensors 2026, 16(5), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16050243
Submission received: 20 March 2026 / Revised: 19 April 2026 / Accepted: 23 April 2026 / Published: 26 April 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Applications in Agriculture, Aquaculture and Animal Husbandry)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Nitrate (NO3−) serves as a pivotal molecule with dual functions in nutrient supply and signaling during plant growth and development. Precise monitoring of its spatiotemporal dynamics in planta is therefore essential for dissecting the regulatory mechanisms underlying plant nitrogen metabolism. However, conventional nitrate detection methods suffer from inherent limitations, including destructive sampling, insufficient spatiotemporal resolution, and an inability to achieve real-time whole-plant monitoring. Here, we report a genetically encoded nitrate biosensor, designated NitNRCL1, constructed using a split firefly luciferase complementation system. Functional validation in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems demonstrates that NitNRCL1 responds to changes in nitrate availability and generates stable chemiluminescent signals in bacteria and diverse plant species. Importantly, NitNRCL1 enables non-invasive, real-time, and whole-plant monitoring of nitrate levels in living plants. Using NitNRCL1, we successfully imaged the spatiotemporal dynamics of nitrate signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana. Collectively, our findings establish NitNRCL1 as a robust and novel tool for investigating nitrate transport, signaling, and metabolic pathways in plants. This biosensor advances our mechanistic understanding of plant nitrate biology and provides a technical foundation for breeding nitrogen-use-efficient crops and developing precision fertilization strategies.
Keywords: nitrate; biosensor; plant; noninvasiveness; visualization nitrate; biosensor; plant; noninvasiveness; visualization

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, L.; Xu, Q.; Wang, C.; Wang, J.; Yue, J.; Lu, Y.; Zhang, G.; Yuan, L.; Wang, Y.; Yu, B.; et al. Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors Enable Noninvasive Real-Time Visualization of Nitrate Dynamics in Intact Living Plants. Biosensors 2026, 16, 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16050243

AMA Style

Zhang L, Xu Q, Wang C, Wang J, Yue J, Lu Y, Zhang G, Yuan L, Wang Y, Yu B, et al. Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors Enable Noninvasive Real-Time Visualization of Nitrate Dynamics in Intact Living Plants. Biosensors. 2026; 16(5):243. https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16050243

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Li, Qing Xu, Changxu Wang, Jinfeng Wang, Jing Yue, Yin Lu, Guangle Zhang, Lixue Yuan, Yonghua Wang, Bo Yu, and et al. 2026. "Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors Enable Noninvasive Real-Time Visualization of Nitrate Dynamics in Intact Living Plants" Biosensors 16, no. 5: 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16050243

APA Style

Zhang, L., Xu, Q., Wang, C., Wang, J., Yue, J., Lu, Y., Zhang, G., Yuan, L., Wang, Y., Yu, B., & Kang, G. (2026). Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors Enable Noninvasive Real-Time Visualization of Nitrate Dynamics in Intact Living Plants. Biosensors, 16(5), 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16050243

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop