In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from Nagoya University in Japan have found that electric eels have the ability to release enough electricity to genetically modify small fish larvae. This finding adds to our understanding of electroporation, a technique used for gene delivery. The researchers exposed young fish to a DNA solution and introduced an electric eel to discharge electricity. They found that 5% of the larvae showed markers of gene transfer. This suggests that electric eels and other organisms that generate electricity could potentially impact genetic modification in nature. The study opens up new possibilities for research on electric fields in living organisms and may lead to breakthroughs in the future.
https://www.nagoya-u.ac.jp/researchinfo/result-en/2023/12/20231207-01.html