EAGER: Synthetic Biology Approach to Creating an Artificial Electrocyte

电鳗，一种高电压电鳗，分布在南美洲的河流中。这些鱼能够利用一种叫做电细胞的特殊细胞产生600伏或更高的强放电。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制造出模仿这些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和细胞RNA的测序，以确定细胞的独特蛋白质（特别是离子泵和膜通道及其调节因子）。这些蛋白质将被纯化，它们的电学和调控特性将在合成膜和脂质体中进行研究，以确定它们独特的和特定于细胞的功能特性。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。研究者和威斯康星大学生物技术中心的外联人员将使用电鳗和它们的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（University of Wisconsin-Madison）的一组本科生将利用包括电鳗在内的基因工具包开发一个合成生物学生物能源项目，并将参加本科生研究的国际基因工程机器（iGEM）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.