Integral detection of bacterial macromolecules: applications of nucleic acid-based approaches

Bacteria are the relevant causes of a vast range of diseases influencing humans, plants, and animals. Rapid detection of pathogenic macromolecules including their virulence factors, spores, and toxins has become ever more significant in food safety, biological weapons defense, and public health. Consequently, over the past decade, numerous developments have been observed in both conventional and recent approaches for bacterial detection from different sources. Many researchers have recently organized their efforts toward the development of rapid and accurate methods. This review offers an overview of trends in bacterial detection from different sources and describes different nucleic acid-based methods. Next-generation sequencing technology opened a new horizon to the world where knowledge knows no boundaries. Nevertheless, much investigation and effort are needed before they become a reliable method.