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Bacterial Envelope Damage Inflicted by Bioinspired Nanostructures Grown in a Hydrogel
Sandra L Arias1,2, Joshua Devorkin3, Jessica C Spear4
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
ACS Applied Bio Materials
|January 12, 2022
Summary
Researchers created bactericidal nanostructures in bacterial cellulose hydrogels using ion beams. These nanostructures kill bacteria by rupturing cell membranes, particularly effective against Gram-positive bacteria, without harming mammalian cells.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Biofilms cause significant human infections.
- Nanostructured surfaces can prevent bacterial colonization.
- Creating such surfaces on hydrogels is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate bactericidal nanostructures on bacterial cellulose (BC) hydrogels.
- To investigate the mechanism of nanostructure-mediated bacterial killing.
- To assess the biocompatibility of these nanostructures.
Main Methods:
- Low-energy ion beam irradiation of bacterial cellulose hydrogels.
- Fabrication of nanoscale protrusions.
- Bacterial challenge assays with Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria.
- Murine preosteoblast viability assays.
- Single-cell force spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated bioinspired bactericidal nanostructures in BC hydrogels.
- Nanostructures preferentially killed Gram-positive bacteria by rupturing stiffer membranes.
- No adverse effects observed on murine preosteoblast viability.
- Experimental validation of a mechanical model for membrane rupture.
Conclusions:
- Topographical modification of hydrogels can confer bactericidal properties.
- Bacterial mechanobiology and membrane stiffness are key factors in nanostructure-based killing.
- This approach offers a novel strategy for developing antimicrobial hydrogels.
