Spiky Artificial Peroxidases with V-O-Fe Pair Sites for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens

With the sharp rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens worldwide, it is of enormous importance to create new strategies for combating pathogenic bacteria. Here, we create an iron oxide-based spiky artificial peroxidase (POD) with V-O-Fe pair sites (V-Fe₂ O₃ ) for combating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The experimental studies and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the V-Fe₂ O₃ can achieve the localized "capture and killing" bifunction from the spiky morphology and massive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The V-Fe₂ O₃ can reach nearly 100 % bacterial inhibition over a long period by efficiently oxidizing the lipid membrane. Our wound disinfection results identify that the V-Fe₂ O₃ can not only efficiently eliminate MRSA and their biofilm but also accelerate wound recovery without causing noticeable inflammation and toxicity. This work offers essential insights into the critical roles of V-O-Fe pair sites and localized "capture and killing" in biocatalytic disinfection and provides a promising pathway for the de novo design of efficient artificial peroxidases.