Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Therapeutics to Treat Vibriosis in Humans and Aquatic Organisms
Published on: May 31, 2024
Synthesis and characterization of curcumin-loaded cellulose nanoparticles targeting bacterial quorum sensing and
Mohammad Zubair1, Fohad Mabood Husain2, Zahid Hameed Siddiqui3
1Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
Over the past 25 years, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a significant global health threat and a major cause of mortality. Foodborne diseases caused by drug-resistant bacteria capable of forming biofilms present serious health risks, necessitating innovative solutions for infectious disease management. Cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs), biocompatible and biodegradable, have found applications in targeted drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of curcumin-loaded cellulose nanoparticles (CLCN) and their effects on quorum sensing (QS) and biofilm formation in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive foodborne bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Chromobacterium violaceum, and Listeria monocytogenes). FTIR confirmed molecular interactions between cellulose hydroxyl groups and curcumin. Thermal analysis (TGA/DSC) demonstrated enhanced structural stability with a gradual mass loss profile. Further, elemental composition analysis showed presence of carbon (50.6%) and oxygen (49.4%) in CLCN. CLCN exhibited MICs of 2 mg/mL against all test strains except in L. monocytogenes (8 mg/mL). At highest tested sub-MIC, violacein pigment was inhibited by over 58% in C. violaceum 12,472. CLCN disrupted pyocyanin, pyoverdin, LasB elastase, and rhamnolipid production by 53, 44, 39, and 47%, respectively. Exoprotease activity in test pathogens decreased by up to 58%. Biofilm production in all pathogens was significantly inhibited in the range of 48-68% at 0.5xMICs. Also, CLCN effectively removed preformed biofilms up to 46%. This study demonstrates that CLCN disrupt QS-regulated virulence traits and destabilizing biofilm architecture. By targeting virulence rather than growth, CLCN minimize the likelihood of resistance development and may serve as an adjunct or alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy. Thus, CLCN offer a biocompatible and sustainable antimicrobial strategy for food packaging systems, that limits surface-associated contamination and enhance food safety.
Related Concept Videos
Bacterial Signaling
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
Cellulose and Pectic Polysaccharides
As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to its type. For example, the...
Bacterial Transformation
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
Biofilms

