Complementary-synergistic Fe-Ce bimetallic nanozyme enhances antimicrobial efficacy through intermodule cycling...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Materials Science
• Antimicrobial Research

Background:

• Modulating bacterial redox metabolism is key to improving antimicrobial therapies and combating antibiotic resistance.
• Single metal ions have limited redox modulation capacity, potentially accelerating resistance.
• Bimetallic catalysts offer synergistic advantages for enhanced antimicrobial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a bimetallic iron/cerium (Fe/Ce) dual-enzyme-mimetic catalytic module (Fe/Ce-BTC) for enhanced antimicrobial activity.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of iron and cerium in disrupting bacterial metabolism and overcoming resistance.
• To explore the potential of Fe/Ce-BTC as a novel strategy against bacterial pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a bimetallic Fe/Ce system as a dual-enzyme-mimetic catalytic module (Fe/Ce-BTC).
• Utilizing iron to initiate the Fenton reaction for hydroxyl radical production.
• Employing cerium for sustained redox conversion between Ce³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ states.

Main Results:

• The Fe/Ce-BTC system demonstrated enhanced catalytic activity and stability due to the complementary actions of iron and cerium.
• The integrated catalyst effectively disrupted bacterial metabolic networks on multiple levels.
• The system exhibited potent inhibitory effects against various bacterial pathogens, overcoming compensatory mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Bimetallic catalysts like Fe/Ce-BTC show significant potential in expanding antimicrobial interventions.
• This approach offers a transformative strategy to address the challenge of antibiotic resistance.
• The Fe/Ce-BTC system holds promise for improving clinical outcomes in treating bacterial infections.