EAGER: Synthetic Biology Approach to Creating an Artificial Electrocyte

电鳗（Electrophorus electricus）是一种高压电鳗，分布在南美洲的河流中。这些鱼能够产生600伏或更高的强烈放电，使用称为电细胞的专门细胞。这种电力使鳗鱼能够击晕并杀死捕食者和猎物。这项研究的长期目标是创造模仿这些电细胞的合成生物电池。通过识别自然界中用于产生、储存和释放电势的蛋白质，该项目将为第一个合成生物电池奠定基础。该项目将涉及基因组DNA和电解质RNA的测序，以确定电解质的独特蛋白质（特别是离子泵和膜通道及其调节剂）。这些蛋白质将被纯化，并将在合成膜和脂质体中研究其电学和调节特性，以确定其独特的和电细胞特异性的功能特性。更广泛的影响。 该项目可以为创造和操纵生物衍生电能的新方法定义一个框架，因此可能对能源研究和生产产生重大影响。研究人员和威斯康星州大学生物技术中心的外展工作人员将使用电鳗及其电细胞来帮助教育和向公众传播生物有机体如何产生和使用电能的基本知识。威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的一个本科生团队将使用遗传工具包开发一个合成生物学生物能源项目，其中包括一个来自电鳗的工具包，并将参加iGEM（国际遗传工程机器）本科生研究竞赛。

Electrophorus electricus, the strong voltage electric eel, occurs in rivers throughout South America. These fish are capable of generating strong electrical discharges of 600 volts or more, using specialized cells called electrocytes. This electrical power permits the eels to stun and kill both predators and prey. The long-term goal of this study is to create synthetic bio-batteries modeled after these electrocytes. By identifying the proteins used in nature to create, store and release an electrical potential, this project will lay the foundation for the first synthetic biological battery. This project will involve the sequencing of genomic DNA and electrocyte RNA to define the unique proteins (especially ion pumps and membrane channels and their regulators) of the electrocyte. These proteins will be purified and their electrical and regulatory properties will be studied in synthetic membranes and liposomes to define their unique and electrocyte-specific functional properties. Broader Impacts. This project can define a framework for new ways to create and manipulate biologically-derived electrical energy, and could thus have substantial impacts in energy research and production. The investigator and the University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center's outreach staff will use the electric eels and their electrocytes to help in educating and communicating to the public basic knowledge of how biological organisms create and use electrical energy. A team of undergraduates at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will develop a synthetic biology bio-energy project using genetic toolkits, including one from the electric eel, and will compete in the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machines) competition for undergraduate research.