Recording and Manipulating Bioelectronic Signals Using Switchable Nanocatalysts
Abstract
Bioelectronic processes link electrostatics to chemical and mechanical energy and are critical for diverse biological functions, including metabolism, movement, and environmental sensing. To gain fundamental insight into bioelectronic signaling, these processes must be monitored noninvasively. One promising strategy is to detect chemically diverse bioelectronic signals on the extracellular face of the plasma membrane. Substantial progress has been made in fluorescence-based sensing of bioelectronic chemical signals, but transient fluorescence precludes signal integration over extended time periods, and it cannot modulate or perturb cellular redox status in response to a bioelectronic signal. Here, a general approach is proposed to record, manipulate, or enhance bioelectronic signals in living cells using switchable nanocatalysts. In the long term, this approach is envisioned as a versatile platform that will yield nanocatalysts that respond to a diverse array of bioelectronic analytes and catalyze many different reactions. This platform will engender new capabilities and fundamental research opportunities in bioelectronics. For example, could a reaction product be created that perturbs ion flow, thus dampening spikes in extracellular ions? Could bioelectronic signals be coupled to the synthesis of electronically active polymers on the cell surface, creating contacts between the cell and an electrode surface? Could bioelectronic status be linked to a chemical reaction that remodels the plasma membrane or oligomerizes cell surface receptors to initiate intracellular signaling? As an initial demonstration, this work seeks to develop a switchable catalyst that activates upon potassium ion (K+) efflux from living cells and covalently tags the cell surface with abiotic functional groups. The kinetics, thermodynamics, and reversibility of catalyst activation will be characterized. Depending on the choice of tagging reagent, the cell surface can be functionalized with cationic, anionic, zwitterionic, hydrophilic, or hydrophobic functional groups. Surfacefunctionalized bacterial cells and biofilms will be generated with in homogeneously distributed abiotic groups (corresponding to sites of K+ efflux), which are anticipated to exhibit new properties in the context of bioelectronic modalities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 25, 2021
- Source ID
- W911NF2110073
Entities
People
- Jeffrey Martell
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of Wisconsin–Madison