Self-Assembled Short Peptide Amphiphile-Gold Nanostructures: A Novel Approach for Bacterial Infection Treatment

This study presents a simple and effective strategy for synthesizing biocompatible hybrid nanostructures composed of short peptide amphiphiles (sPA) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for bacterial infection control. The self-assembling sPA molecules form stable β-sheet structures, which are further enhanced upon the addition of gold ions (Au(III)) and brief sunlight exposure, leading to the formation of functional AuNP-sPA nanostructures. Comprehensive spectroscopic and microscopic characterization confirms the successful integration of AuNPs with sPA, resulting in stable nanomaterials with potent antibacterial properties. The AuNP-sPA conjugates exhibit superior antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a high bacterial selectivity and biocompatibility with minimal cytotoxicity, reinforcing their therapeutic potential. These findings highlight AuNP-sPA nanostructures as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics for targeted bacterial infection treatment.