Living Biosensors: A Breakthrough in Bioelectronics Using Engineered Bacteria
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Science & Technology (Biotechnology - Genetic Engineering, Synthetic Biology; Nanotechnology - Biosensors; General Science concepts).
Mains: GS Paper 3 (Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Awareness in the fields of Bio-technology).
Key Highlights from the News
Key Invention: Researchers developed a new type of self-operating biosensor that can be directly connected to electronics, using genetically engineered bacteria.
Challenge Solved: Traditional biosensors were often fragile, expensive, or difficult to integrate with electronic devices because their output signal was optical.
New Technology:
Using Synthetic biology, researchers incorporated three modules (sensing, processing, output) into E. coli bacteria.
When these bacteria detect a specific chemical, they release molecules called phenazines, which produce an electrical signal when in contact with an electrode.
Demonstrated Capabilities:
The sensor successfully identified sugar and mercury ions in water.
The bacteria could also be programmed as an "AND' logic gate," giving a signal only when two chemicals were present simultaneously.
Significance: This is a significant step towards creating inexpensive and programmable bioelectronic devices.
COMMENTS