COVID-19-inspired "artificial virus" to combat drug-resistant bacteria by membrane-intercalation- photothermal-photodynamic multistage effects

Area of Science:

• Biomimetic Nanotechnology
• Antimicrobial Strategies
• Materials Science

Background:

• COVID-19's spike glycoprotein facilitates viral entry and poses a significant threat.
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a dangerous superbug requiring novel treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize an
• artificial virus
• ] with coronal morphology to combat MRSA.
• To investigate the antimicrobial mechanisms and efficacy of the artificial virus.

Main Methods:

• Self-assembly of a transacting activator of transduction peptide with triple-shell porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) embedded with cobalt nanoparticles.
• Characterization of the artificial virus's morphology, membrane penetration, thermal properties, and oxidase-like activity.
• Evaluation of sterilization efficiency against MRSA in vitro and in river water.

Main Results:

• The artificial virus demonstrated effective bacterial cell membrane penetration and internal heating.
• It triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) outbreak and exhibited high oxidase-like activity.
• Achieved 99.99% MRSA sterilization efficiency within 20 minutes, 18.6 times higher than g-C3N4, with sustained efficacy after recycling.

Conclusions:

• The developed artificial virus effectively inactivates MRSA through multiple mechanisms including membrane disruption, hyperthermia, and ROS generation.
• This biomimetic approach shows promise for applications in water disinfection and accelerating wound healing.