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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activities of Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Surfaces In Vitro
Published on: April 21, 2023
Biogenic Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles and Its Potential Use as Antimicrobial Agent Against Multidrug-Resistant
Sanaa M F Gad El-Rab1,2, Aly E Abo-Amer3,4, Ahlam M Asiri3
1Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 888, Taif, 21974, Saudi Arabia. sanaa1996@yahoo.com.
Abstract:
In case of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, the increased prominence of multidrug-resistance strains has become the greatest challenge in the urinary tract disease treatment. Therefore, the 16S rRNA sequencing of multidrug-resistant strains was performed, in addition to those of plasmids and genes responsible for multidrug resistance. These strains showed containing responsible genes Sulfonamides sul1, Tetracycline Tet(A), Tetracycline Tet(B), chloramphenicol catA1, β-lactams blaSHV, and cmlA. Also, the strains demonstrated resistance to at least 10 types of antibiotics or more due to carrying various plasmids. For increasing the level of public health in daily life and treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria, the nanomedicine was employed. Consequently, ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs-E) were synthesized by employing supernatant of Escherichia hermannii strain isolated from raw milk source. The E. hermannii strain produces high concentration of ZnONPs-E compared to other strains so we used it in this study. This ZnONPs-E has a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranged from the concentration 10 μg/ml to 40 μg/ml against E. coli and K. pneumoniae, respectively. The antimicrobial efficiency of ZnONPs-E was 40 µg/ml and it was superior to the reported values in literature. Moreover, SEM results evident for distorted membrane morphology, blebbing of membrane, cell elongation, and leakage of cellular contents due to ZnONPs-E activity against tested bacteria. These results indicated that the ZnONPs-E exhibited interesting antimicrobial activity against pathogenic extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) strains. The present study revealed that the active components entered in biosynthesis of ZnONPs-E pave the way to lead its effective nano-medical and drug delivery applications.
Insights
Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae infections pose a significant challenge. Researchers synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs-E) from Escherichia hermannii, demonstrating potent antimicrobial activity against these resistant strains.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Nanotechnology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae present a major challenge in treating urinary tract infections.
- These resistant strains carry genes for sulfonamides, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and beta-lactams, along with various plasmids, conferring resistance to numerous antibiotics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of nanomedicine, specifically zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs-E), for combating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
- To synthesize and characterize ZnONPs-E using a specific Escherichia hermannii strain and evaluate its antimicrobial efficacy.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA sequencing was used to identify multidrug resistance genes and plasmids in E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains.
- Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs-E) were synthesized using the supernatant of an Escherichia hermannii strain isolated from raw milk.
- Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and antimicrobial efficiency of ZnONPs-E were determined against E. coli and K. pneumoniae.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was employed to visualize the morphological changes in bacteria treated with ZnONPs-E.
Main Results:
- The synthesized ZnONPs-E exhibited a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 10 μg/ml to 40 μg/ml against E. coli and K. pneumoniae.
- The antimicrobial efficiency of ZnONPs-E was found to be superior to previously reported values.
- SEM analysis revealed significant bacterial membrane damage, including distortion, blebbing, cell elongation, and leakage of cellular contents, upon exposure to ZnONPs-E.
- ZnONPs-E demonstrated notable antimicrobial activity against pathogenic extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) strains.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized ZnONPs-E show significant promise as an effective antimicrobial agent against multidrug-resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae.
- The study highlights the potential of nanomedicine, particularly ZnONPs-E derived from microbial sources, for addressing the challenge of antibiotic resistance.
- The active components involved in the biosynthesis of ZnONPs-E suggest potential for future nano-medical and drug delivery applications.
