Bactericidal Activities of Copolymers Incorporating Formylphenyl Motif for Targeting Surface Proteins

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Antimicrobial Materials
• Biotechnology

Background:

• The rise of antibiotic resistance necessitates the development of novel antimicrobial strategies.
• Copolymers offer versatile platforms for designing materials with tailored biological functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize intrinsic antimicrobial copolymers with a dual-binding mechanism.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy and biocompatibility of these novel polymers.

Main Methods:

• Development of copolymers containing formylphenyl and quaternary ammonium groups.
• Systematic variation of copolymer composition and architecture.
• Assessment of antimicrobial activity against *Staphylococcus epidermidis* and *Escherichia coli*.
• Evaluation of *in vitro* biocompatibility with mammalian and red blood cells.

Main Results:

• The developed copolymers demonstrated potent bactericidal activity in nutrient broth media.
• Effective targeting of bacterial cell surfaces via electrostatic interactions and reversible imine formation.
• Excellent *in vitro* biocompatibility with mammalian and red blood cells was observed.

Conclusions:

• This study presents a new class of intrinsic antimicrobial polymers with a dual-binding mechanism.
• The findings expand the chemical diversity of antimicrobial polymers for potential therapeutic applications.
• The developed polymers show promise for combating bacterial infections while maintaining biocompatibility.