Introduction
Inspired by a unique biological nanomaterial - "electrically conductive pili"(e-pili) derived from Geobacter metallireducens. This year, Tongji-China has developed A High-precision Quantitative Detection System. This system is designed with features such as swiftness, simplicity, cost-effectiveness and the ability to rapidly respond to various types of testing needs. The implementation of this approach contributes to empowering community-based primary health service organizations, relying on their strengths to help the equitable distribution of health resources and the improvement of residents' health.
受到一种特殊的生物纳米材料---来源于金属还原地杆菌的导电菌毛的启发,今年,Tongji-China设计了一套基于该高导电菌毛高精度抗体定量检测系统。该系统被设计具有快速,简单,经济且可以快速响应不同种类检测需求等特点,该思路的实现有助于赋能社区基层卫生服务机构,依托其力量,助力健康资源的公平分配和居民健康水平的提升。
In addition, we regarded this material as a link between electronic information and biological information. We have further explored the potential value of this material and hope that in the future, it can be more widely utilized in the interdisciplinary field, pioneering more research and application possibilities.
除此之外,我们还将这种材料视为一种连接电子信息和生物信息的桥梁。我们进一步的挖掘了这种材料的潜在价值并希望在未来其可以被更广泛的用于生物电子交叉领域,开创更多的研究和应用可能性。
On this page we discuss the problem at hand, our proposed solution as well as goals for the future.
在本页中,我们详细的讨论了当前的问题,我们的解决方案以及我们未来的目标
A local problem
We are fully aware of the current status of health checks for the population. Regular physical health check-ups are an important way to prevent diseases. However, resources such as hospital medical check-up centers and qualified third-party organizations are limited, and the process of booking and waiting for scheduling is cumbersome and puts greater financial pressure on residents.
我们充分了解了居民健康检查的现状。常态化的身体健康检查是预防疾病的重要途径。然而,医院体检中心和有资质的第三方机构等资源有限,预约、等候排期等流程较繁琐,给居民的经济压力也较大。
At present, community health centers are unable to undertake the routine antibody testing programs in medical checkups, which are usually entrusted to qualified companies, with longer testing cycles and higher costs; and the main indicators of the routine health checkups for residents and home visits by family doctors implemented in the community are still limited to blood pressure and blood sugar.
目前,社区卫生服务中心无法承担体检中常规的抗体检测项目,这些项目通常被委托于有资质的公司,检测周期较长,费用较高;而在社区中推行的居民常规健康普查、家庭医生上门检查的主要指标都仍限于血压、血糖。
Antibody tests such as autoantibodies, antiphospholipid antibodies and immunoglobulin sets are commonly used in health examinations. For various reasons, assisted diagnostic techniques have not yet been widely used in health examinations. We hope that assisted diagnostic techniques will facilitate the advancement of health screening in the direction of being faster, more accessible, and less expensive. (See Human Practices)
在健康检查中,自身抗体、抗磷脂抗体、免疫球蛋白全套等抗体检测项目是常用的。由于各种原因,辅助诊断技术尚未在健康检查中广泛应用。我们希望辅助诊断技术能促进健康检查向更快捷、更易获得、更廉价的方向进步。(见Human Practices)
Figure Note: Box plot of the price of physical examination items of the top three hospitals in Shanghai and the top three third-party institutions in Shanghai (source: Kanghuwang), and scatter chart of per capita annual healthcare and medicine consumption expenditure of Shanghai residents from 2009 to 2021 (source: National Bureau of Statistics)
图注:上海综合排名前三的医院体检中心和综合排名前三的第三方机构的体检项目价格箱线图(数据来源:康护网),和2009-2021年度上海市居民人均年度医疗保健消费性支出散点图(数据来源:国家统计局)
Why E-pili?
Geobacter is a class of rod-shaped Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria belonging to the δ-Proteobacteria class [4-6]. They are important dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria [7]. In order to survive in harsh anaerobic environments, certain species of Geobacter can utilize extracellular metal ions as electron acceptors for respiration, maintaining their own metabolism. This extracellular electron transfer process relies on a unique type of conductive appendage known as "electrically conductive pili"[8]. Electrons are transmitted through fibrous conductive structures on the cell surface, often with nanoscale diameters but lengths extending to the micrometer range, capable of facilitating electron transfer[9,10].
地杆菌(Geobacter)是一类呈棒状的革兰氏阴性厌氧细菌,属于δ-变形菌纲[4-6],是一种重要的异化三价铁还原菌[7]。为了在严苛的缺氧环境中生活,一些种类的地杆菌可以利用细胞外的金属离子作为电子受体进行呼吸,维持自身的新陈代谢。而这种细胞外的电子传递过程需要一种特殊的导电菌毛来介导[5]。电子通过细胞表面具有导电能力的纤维状附着物进行传递.这些纤维的直径往往只有纳米级别,但是长度却可以达到微米级别,并拥有传递电子的能力,因而被命名为导电菌毛(E-pili)[9,10]。
For instance, the type IV pili of Geobacter metallireducens exhibit an exceptional electrical conductivity of up to 277 S/cm at pH 7 [11], making them the most conductive biological nanomaterials known to date. Within these conductive bacterial nanowires, there is a high density of aromatic groups, and the overlapping Π-Π orbitals of aromatic moieties imparts metallic conductivity to these organic materials [12].
例如金属还原地杆菌的Ⅳ型菌毛在pH=7时的电导率高达277S/CM[11],是人类目前所发现的电导率最高的生物纳米材料。这种导电菌毛内部分布着高密度的芳香族基团,而这些芳香族基团的轨道重叠可以赋予这些有机材料类似金属的导电性[12]。