Hsu Leo Huan-Hsuan, Deng Pu, Zhang Yixin, Nguyen Han N, Jiang Xiaocheng
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA.
J Mater Chem B. 2018 Nov 28;6(44):7144-7158. doi: 10.1039/c8tb01598h. Epub 2018 Jul 23.
Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a process performed by electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) to transport metabolically-generated electrons to external solid-phase acceptors through specific molecular pathways. Naturally bridging biotic and abiotic charge transport systems, EET offers ample opportunities in a wide range of bio-interfacing applications, from renewable energy conversion, resource recovery, to bioelectronics. Full exploration of EET fundamentals and applications demands technologies that could seamlessly interface and interrogate with key components and processes at relevant length scales. In this review, we will discuss the recent development of nanoscale platforms that enabled EET investigation from single-cell to network levels. We will further overview research strategies for utilizing rationally designed and integrated nanomaterials for EET facilitation and efficiency enhancement. In the future, EET components such as c-cytochrome based outer membranes and bacterial nanowires along with their assembled structures will present themselves as a whole new category of biosynthetic electroactive materials with genetically encoded functionality and intrinsic biocompatibility, opening up possibilities to revolutionize the way electronic devices communicate with biological systems.
细胞外电子转移（EET）是由具有电化学活性的细菌（EAB）执行的一个过程，通过特定的分子途径将代谢产生的电子传输到外部固相受体。EET自然地连接了生物和非生物电荷传输系统，在从可再生能源转换、资源回收再利用到生物电子学等广泛的生物接口应用中提供了丰富的机会。全面探索EET的基本原理和应用需要能够在相关长度尺度上与关键组件和过程无缝连接并进行探究的技术。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论纳米级平台的最新进展，这些平台能够实现从单细胞水平到网络水平的EET研究。我们还将进一步概述利用合理设计和集成的纳米材料促进EET并提高其效率的研究策略。未来，基于c-细胞色素的外膜和细菌纳米线等EET组件及其组装结构将呈现为一类全新的具有基因编码功能和内在生物相容性的生物合成电活性材料，为彻底改变电子设备与生物系统的通信方式开辟了可能性。
