(556e) Tunable Attachment of Living Cells to Electroactive Surfaces

Controlling the interaction between living systems and electroactive surfaces has been a longstanding goal of healthcare and clean energy production. The ability to maintain specificity in the placement of cells while facilitating electron transfer between the cells and the surface is a key challenge in cell placement. DNA is capable of both specifically hybridizing to itself and conducting current, leading to its widespread application in both fundamental scientific and medical devices. Through DNA hybridization-based cell adhesion, we have captured and monitored non-adherent mammalian cells, yeast, and microbes on DNA-modified electrodes. We have applied this method to the rapid assembled of low-density monolayers of current producing cells that maintain their electron transfer capabilities prior to biofilm formation. We attribute this ability, at least in part, to the conductivity of DNA. This DNA-based technique to interface cells with inorganic surfaces will have broad applications from diagnostic tools to biofuel cells.