Disclosed is a method of facilitating detection of a nucleic acid target sequence. The method may include utilizing a toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement apparatus comprising a portion complementary to the nucleic acid target sequence. The method may further include utilizing a RNA toehold switch comprising a RNA sequence. Further, the toehold portion of the RNA sequence may be complementary to a portion of the toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement apparatus. The method may further include combining the toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement apparatus and the RNA toehold switch in an assay, such that the two are never in direct physical contact with each other. Accordingly, a sample containing the nucleic acid target sequence on the substrate may displace a nucleic acid strand from the toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement apparatus and bind a portion of it to the RNA toehold switch resulting in expression of the reporter protein.