About This Project

Zap-pore is a low-cost (10$), open-source DIY tool for electroporation, using everyday tools and common materials to transfer DNA into agrobacterium, an important model organism for plant genetic engineering and other microbes. DNA Transformation is a critical step in expressing proteins, and enzymes in microbes. Designed for resource-constrained settings, it nurtures creativity and hands-on learning in bacterial and plant synthetic biology.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

We are in the midst of a biotechnology revolution, where living mechanisms are being studied and engineered at unprecedented rates. A fundamental technique in life sciences and synthetic biology is transformation: the insertion of foreign DNA, in the form of circular DNA strands (plasmids), into microbes (1). Transforming the microbe Agrobacterium tumefaciens is vital to genetically engineer plants (2). Furthermore, transformation is a critical step in expressing proteins, enzymes, and produce bio molecules of interest in microbes. Transformations are commonly conducted using an electroporator, where electric voltage is applied to generate pores in cell membranes, which enable uptake of DNA into the cell. Uptake of plasmids for a microbe is a function of voltage at which the pulse (Kilovolts) is applied, and duration of pulse (milliseconds) (3). However, the standard electroporators are expensive and they are out of reach for students and the under resourced.

What is the significance of this project?

In most educational settings, students use inefficient transformation methods, such as heat shock, because electroporation is too expensive (> 3000$). The consumables for electroporation are expensive ($3 per cuvette). The advantages of conventional electroporators are controllable voltage and usability. Disadvantages are high-cost, fixed pulse time, and high volume of biological reagents. Recent work demonstrated piezoelectric based electroporation ($0.20) after scaling up. The advantages are extreme low-cost. Disadvantages are fixed voltage, fixed pulse time, need for equipment such as 3D printers and need for high volumes of reagents. We propose Zap-pore, an open-source, low-cost (~ $10), DIY electroporator with control over voltages and pulse times and uses very low volumes of reagents. The tool enables scientific advancement in characterizing transformation properties of a wide variety of bacterial strains and allows users to genetically engineer plants using agrobacterium.

What are the goals of the project?

We developed Zap-pore, and we completed proof-of-concept experiments, demonstrating the tool’s usability. We developed a comprehensive user manual (will be published in an open access journal later). Currently, we are improving its efficiency and working on minimizing reagent consumption. Past hardware, we have to develop website where documentation is shared, along with ability for the user community to share results making and using Zap-pore.

Zap-pore will be implemented within MIT, targeting students. This focused approach will allow us to refine the tool and gather feedback. Once successful, we plan to expand its use, including incorporating it into the “How to Grow (Almost) Anything” course taught by Dr. Kong and Prof. Church with a new plant module (20 students at MIT, Harvard, and 100+ students who join virtually worldwide). We anticipate Zap-pore will benefit a diverse global audience, including universities, high schools, community biolabs, and maker spaces.