Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic module
Microorganisms regulate the redox state of different biomolecules to precisely control biological processes. These processes can be modulated by electrochemically coupling intracellular biomolecules to an external electrode, but current approaches afford only limited control and specificity. Here we...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
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Series: | PLoS ONE |
Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8601525/?tool=EBI |
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author | Moshe Baruch Sara Tejedor-Sanz Lin Su Caroline M. Ajo-Franklin |
author_facet | Moshe Baruch Sara Tejedor-Sanz Lin Su Caroline M. Ajo-Franklin |
author_sort | Moshe Baruch |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Microorganisms regulate the redox state of different biomolecules to precisely control biological processes. These processes can be modulated by electrochemically coupling intracellular biomolecules to an external electrode, but current approaches afford only limited control and specificity. Here we describe specific electrochemical control of the reduction of intracellular biomolecules in Escherichia coli through introduction of a heterologous electron transfer pathway. E. coli expressing cymAmtrCAB from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 consumed electrons directly from a cathode when fumarate or nitrate, both intracellular electron acceptors, were present. The fumarate-triggered current consumption occurred only when fumarate reductase was present, indicating all the electrons passed through this enzyme. Moreover, CymAMtrCAB-expressing E. coli used current to stoichiometrically reduce nitrate. Thus, our work introduces a modular genetic tool to reduce a specific intracellular redox molecule with an electrode, opening the possibility of electronically controlling biological processes such as biosynthesis and growth in any microorganism. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-14T16:54:27Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-60fd0e68cbad48139d86fae059fec62b |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1932-6203 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-14T16:54:27Z |
publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
record_format | Article |
series | PLoS ONE |
spelling | doaj.art-60fd0e68cbad48139d86fae059fec62b2022-12-21T22:53:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-011611Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic moduleMoshe BaruchSara Tejedor-SanzLin SuCaroline M. Ajo-FranklinMicroorganisms regulate the redox state of different biomolecules to precisely control biological processes. These processes can be modulated by electrochemically coupling intracellular biomolecules to an external electrode, but current approaches afford only limited control and specificity. Here we describe specific electrochemical control of the reduction of intracellular biomolecules in Escherichia coli through introduction of a heterologous electron transfer pathway. E. coli expressing cymAmtrCAB from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 consumed electrons directly from a cathode when fumarate or nitrate, both intracellular electron acceptors, were present. The fumarate-triggered current consumption occurred only when fumarate reductase was present, indicating all the electrons passed through this enzyme. Moreover, CymAMtrCAB-expressing E. coli used current to stoichiometrically reduce nitrate. Thus, our work introduces a modular genetic tool to reduce a specific intracellular redox molecule with an electrode, opening the possibility of electronically controlling biological processes such as biosynthesis and growth in any microorganism.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8601525/?tool=EBI |
spellingShingle | Moshe Baruch Sara Tejedor-Sanz Lin Su Caroline M. Ajo-Franklin Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic module PLoS ONE |
title | Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic module |
title_full | Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic module |
title_fullStr | Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic module |
title_full_unstemmed | Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic module |
title_short | Electronic control of redox reactions inside Escherichia coli using a genetic module |
title_sort | electronic control of redox reactions inside escherichia coli using a genetic module |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8601525/?tool=EBI |
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