Technical leap in mitochondrial research and applications
Mitochondria are the ‘powerhouses’ of the cells, transforming food energy into biochemical currencies of energy. They are implicated in the development of diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Their function affects age-related muscular and cognitive decline – all of them big concerns for society. Therefore, measuring mitochondrial function can be used to predict disease development, for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Sensitive oxygen sensor for measuring mitochondrial function
The EU-funded NextGen-O2k project has developed proprietary technology that measures oxygen consumption of mitochondria, tissues, and living cells. The technology was developed by the company Oroboros Instruments and evolved over the years to investigate the role of cell respiration in health and disease and to measure photosynthesis in algae. “NextGen-O2k offers the capacity to characterise the metabolic profile of energy-transforming organelles, with high sensitivity, using a single instrument,” explains Erich Gnaiger, project coordinator and CEO of Oroboros Instruments. This instrument encompasses an electrochemical sensor that measures the oxygen concentration in a chamber and uses specialised software to calculate mitochondrial respiration or algal photosynthesis. It was generated with the collaboration of the mechatronics specialist WGT Elektronik and HTech (Haider Technology Consulting), which contributed to the software development.
Advantage of NextGen-O2k
Conventionally, the in-depth study of mitochondrial/chloroplast metabolism requires the use of several instruments in parallel. However, this incurs high cost and is associated with low sensitivity and poor resolution, necessitating a reliable and accurate device to measure different aspects of cellular bioenergetics. NextGen-O2k has addressed this need, offering the potential to measure cell respiration and study photosynthesis in algae in an accurate, more cost-effective and faster manner. To achieve this, partners have designed a multi-module configuration, including completely novel sensors not currently on the market that can estimate the redox state of the Q junction. Moreover, the instrument incorporates different modules to measure other parameters (membrane potential, ATP production, pH) to gain a more complete bioenergetic fingerprint. Partners have established an ecosystem for integrating and sharing knowledge and technology, consisting of more than 700 laboratories in 49 countries. The market launch of the NextGen-O2k technology is planned for March 2022.
NextGen-O2k biotechnology applications
Bioenergetics, the study of cell energy transformation, is an exciting field offering new prospects in medical discovery. The link of mitochondrial function with pathology undoubtedly highlights the importance of mitochondria research in healthcare. However, additional applications emerge in the quest for sustainable sources of fuel and food to counteract climate change. Algae are key organisms in biotechnology with the potential to convert large amounts of solar energy into bioproducts through photosynthesis, simultaneously binding the greenhouse gas CO2. Sustainable algal biomass production relies upon optimal bioenergetics with mitochondria and chloroplasts controlling their energy metabolism and growth rates. NextGen-O2k can help study the metabolism of algae and unlock their potential in bioeconomy, pushing towards a greener economy with a positive impact on society.
A culture of sustainability
NextGen-O2k integrates the concepts of reproducibility and sustainability at low running costs. Supporting this, paywall-free journal Bioenergetics Communications (BEC) launched within this project introduces ‘Living Communications’ to resolve the conflict between rapid sharing of new methods and results, efficient prevention of exponentially increasing numbers of publications, and quality control to ensure reproducibility and sustainability.
Keywords
NextGen-O2k, mitochondria, algae, bioenergetics, biotechnology, oxygen sensor, bioeconomy