Electrohydraulic Cell Lysis Through Selective Membrane Pores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical methods of cell lysis, such as grinding and high-pressure homogenization, lead to heating and complete destruction of cells, resulting in decreased product yield and increased purification costs due to the need for extensive downstream processing to separate target proteins and lipids from cell debris.
Innovation Solution
Electrohydraulic fragmentation (EHF) is used to form pores in the cell membrane without destroying the cell wall, allowing selective release of intracellular proteins and lipids into an aqueous medium, followed by easier separation from other cellular components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanical cell disruption methods (ball mill or high-pressure homogenization) are used to completely destroy the cell wall, then cell lysis efficiency is improved, but the sample is heated and cell debris is generated, resulting in product destruction and increased purification costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical disruption methods (ball mill, high-pressure homogenization) with an electrochemical method involving pore formation through electrical impulse discharges. This substitution eliminates the harmful mechanical forces that cause heating and complete cell destruction while achieving effective cell lysis through controlled pore formation in the cell membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of cell disruption from mechanical force to electrical impulse. By applying controlled electrical impulses that create pores in the cell membrane without completely destroying the cell structure, the method achieves lysis efficiency while avoiding the harmful effects of heating and excessive cell debris generation associated with mechanical methods.
2Quantity of substance
If complete destruction of the cell wall is achieved through mechanical methods, then intracellular components are released, but extensive downstream processing is required to separate target products from cell debris, increasing time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary function of cell lysis (release of intracellular components) without performing the harmful side effect of complete cell destruction. By forming pores in the cell membrane through electrical impulses, the method enables selective release of target proteins and lipids while maintaining cell integrity, thereby reducing the amount of cell debris and minimizing downstream processing requirements.
3Strength
If mechanical energy is introduced during cell digestion, then cell disruption is achieved, but friction converts this energy to heat that destroys target proteins and lipids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical energy input with electrical impulse energy. The electrochemical pore formation method uses controlled electrical discharges to create pores in the cell membrane without the frictional heating that occurs in mechanical methods. This substitution maintains effective cell disruption capability while avoiding temperature increase that would destroy heat-sensitive target proteins and lipids.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of cell lysis for forming at least one pore in the cell wall and/or cell membrane of a cell in an aqueous medium for release of at least one intracellular target protein and/or lipid from the cell into the aqueous medium, including subjecting the cell with the intracellular target protein and/or lipid in the aqueous medium to an electrohydraulic comminution; and separating the target protein and/or lipid from the cell.The electrohydraulic comminution is brought about by a pulse current source. The cell in the aqueous medium is subjected to electrical impulse discharges between at least two electrodes of an underwater radio path of a container at a specific operating voltage, impulse energy, and pulse frequency, and at least one pore is formed in the cell wall and/or cell membrane.