The Electric eel is named to be the biggest power-producing creature on Earth. These eels can release up to 860 volts. A research team from Nagoya University located In Japan found that electric eels can release enough electricity to genetically modify small fish larvae nearby in the area the electricity is dispersed. They were able to add on to what we already know about electroporation, which is a gene delivery technique. Electroporation allows to create temporary pores in a cell membrane which allows DNA or proteins enter the target cell. The research team had the thought id the electricity flows in a river, it would affect the cells of nearby organisms. To test this hypothesis, they exposed young fish in their labs to a DNA solution with a marker that would glow in the light to see if the fish (zebra fish) had taken the DNA. They introduce the eel that will discharge their electricity when it's bites a feeder fish, and from this they are able to see if that DNA goes to the zebra fish.
The experiment shows that 5% of the larvae had markers indicating gene transfer took affect. This indicates that the discharge from the eel promoted gene transfer. Many other studies have observed similar phenomenon's that involve naturally occurring fields such as lightning, affecting nematodes and soil bacteria.
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ReplyDeleteLearning that eels could dispel so much power was quite interesting. I would be curious to know how their genetics affect the organisms that they genetically modify and how they are able to do so.
ReplyDeleteI was very unaware that an electric eel does more than use its ability to fight prey. Being able to potentially genetically modify other fish through their electric shock is very intriguing. I wonder if the shock of electric eels can be use to help genetically modify other small organisims like the small fish.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that there were many things this eel could do! It is very interesting to see how their genetics could be influenced by this! I wonder if more studies will be done to see how exactly they still have this DNA in their larvae.
ReplyDeleteThis is an intriguing question because while electric eels can generate powerful electric shocks, the transfer of genetic material from electric eels to other animals through electricity is highly unlikely. I know that genetic materials such as DNA are typically transferred through reproductive processes like mating or specific mechanisms like gene transfers in bacteria. But even though electric eels use their electricity for hunting and defense, their electric shock is not known to carry or transfer genetic material to other animals.
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