H+-mediated control of biochemical processes in living organelles with electrochemical pH modulation

Abstract

In nature, protons (H⁺) play an important role in biological activities such as in mitochondrial ATP synthesis, which is driven by a H⁺ gradient across the cell inner membrane, or in the activation of acid sensing ion channels in neuron cells. Bioprotonic devices directly interface with the H⁺ concentration (pH) to facilitate engineered interactions with these biochemical processes. Here we demonstrate a H⁺ biotransducer that changes the pH in a mitochondrial matrix by controlling the flow of H⁺ between a conductive polymer of sulfonated polyaniline and solution. We have successfully modulated the rate of ATP synthesis in mitochondria by altering the solution pH. We applied such pH modulation to mitochondrial applications. Such mitochondrial pH modulation results in the control of ATP synthesis in mitochondria.