Electric Eels Can Genetically Modify Fish Larvae, Research Shows

The process, known as electroporation, could potentially lead to new species or increased diversity in the wild, researchers suggest.

Electric eels can discharge up to 860 volts of electricity, enough to open pores in the cell membranes of fish larvae and invite in new genes, a process known as electroporation.
Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan conducted an experiment where they exposed zebrafish larvae to a DNA solution and then introduced an electric eel, which resulted in 5% of the larvae showing signs of gene transfer.
The researchers suggest that electric eels could be contributing to the genetic modification of other species in the wild, potentially leading to new species or increased diversity.
Other studies have observed similar phenomena occurring with naturally occurring fields, such as lightning, affecting nematodes and soil bacteria.
The researchers plan to conduct additional research into whether electric eel discharges can have a similar effect on much smaller organisms, such as plankton and bacteria.