PLoS Biol 18(1):Ĭopyright: © 2020 Byagathvalli et al. Thus, the simplicity, accessibility, and affordability of our device holds potential for making modern synthetic biology accessible in high school, community, and resource-poor laboratories.Ĭitation: Byagathvalli G, Sinha S, Zhang Y, Styczynski MP, Standeven J, Bhamla MS (2020) ElectroPen: An ultra-low–cost, electricity-free, portable electroporator. ![]() We also demonstrate the potential for rapid dissemination of this approach, with multiple research groups across the globe validating the ease of construction and functionality of our device, supporting the potential for democratization of science through frugal tools. We provide a proof-of-concept demonstration by genetically transforming plasmids into Escherichia coli cells, showing transformation efficiency comparable to commercial devices, but at a fraction of the cost. The proposed "ElectroPen" device can cost as little as 23 cents (US dollars) to manufacture, is portable (weighs 13 g and requires no electricity), can be easily fabricated using 3D printing, and delivers repeatable exponentially decaying pulses of about 2,000 V in 5 ms. To address this need, we develop a simple, inexpensive, and handheld electroporator inspired by and derived from a common household piezoelectric stove lighter. Despite this broad utility, the high cost of electroporators can keep this approach out of reach for many budget-conscious laboratories. ![]() It is used for many diverse applications, from genetically engineering cells to drug- and DNA-based vaccine delivery. Electroporation is a basic yet powerful method for delivering small molecules (RNA, DNA, drugs) across cell membranes by application of an electrical field.
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