Concepts, Strategies, and Prospects of Allosteric Signal-Amplification Sensing: What Is a Dynamic Allosteric Effector?

Abstract

Artificial chemosensors have evolved from simple host-guest systems to sophisticated functional platforms for bioanalysis, chiral discrimination, diagnostics, and imaging. However, their sensitivity remains limited when the signal output directly follows intrinsic binding equilibria. One promising strategy for overcoming this constraint is the integration of allosteric signal amplification and molecular recognition. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent advances in polymer chemosensors that operate through supramolecular allosteric signal-amplification sensing (SASS), in which an initial recognition event is propagated through a polymer framework to amplify output signals. Representative examples of homotropic and heterotropic allosteric systems are discussed, highlighting how polymer-mediated conformational or aggregation changes enhance sensitivity toward challenging analytes such as anions, amino acids, saccharides, and other biologically relevant molecules. We also highlight the emerging concept of a dynamic allosteric effector, in which the effector itself is no longer fixed but rather continuously tunable through supramolecular polymerization. This new design principle links assembly state, molecular recognition, and signal amplification within a single adaptive framework. Collectively, these advances establish polymer-based allosteric systems as a versatile foundation for next-generation ultrahigh-sensitivity chemosensors and adaptive supramolecular materials.