Active Particles as Mobile Microelectrodes for Selective Bacteria Electroporation and Transport

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that active, self-propelling microelectrodes can selectively trap, transport, and electroporate bacteria using external electric fields, offering a new tool for single-cell analysis and targeted delivery.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method where self-propelling Janus particles act as mobile microelectrodes for selective bacterial electroporation under electric fields.

Findings

Successful trapping and transport of bacteria using active microelectrodes.

Selective electroporation of bacteria achieved with electric field intensification.

Method applicable to various cell types and micromotor designs.

Abstract

Self-propelling micromotors are emerging as a promising microscale and nanoscale tool for single-cell analysis. We have recently shown that the field gradients necessary to manipulate matter via dielectrophoresis can be induced at the surface of a polarizable active (self-propelling) metallo-dielectric Janus particle (JP) under an externally applied electric field, acting essentially as a mobile floating microelectrode. Here, we successfully demonstrated for the first time, that the application of an external electric field can singularly trap and transport bacteria and can selectively electroporate the trapped bacteria. Selective electroporation, enabled by the local intensification of the electric field induced by the JP, was obtained under both continuous alternating current and pulsed signal conditions. This approach is generic and is applicable to bacteria and JP, as well as a wide range of cell types and micromotor designs. Hence, it constitutes an important and novel experimental tool for single-cell analysis and targeted delivery.