Constructing electron transfer channels between MoFe and bacteria for effective antibacterial therapy

Although the phenomenon of current flow between bacteria and nanomaterials has long been observed, the direction of electron flow and specific interaction sites remain unclear. To address this, we designed a molybdenum (Mo) - based heterojunction electron reservoir (MOSF nanocrystals), enabling rapid Mo⁶⁺/Mo⁴⁺ cycling, and introduced Fe as a mediator to shuttle electrons into bacteria through surface Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox. Upon contact with bacteria, MOSF nanocrystals (NCs) have the potential to block the coenzyme Q (CoQ)-mediated electron transport chain (ETC), causing energy depletion and bacterial death. This study also pioneers the development of a real-time fluorescent detection system to monitor electronic interference with bacterial ETC. This system can track how electrons in MOSF NCs inhibit bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication, which is attributed to the inhibition of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis. By integrating transcriptomic and biochemical analysis techniques, we deduced at the atomic level that the antibacterial effect likely stems from the disruption of CoQ on the bacterial cell membrane, which in turn blocks the bacterial ETC. This study proposes an effective antibacterial nanoenzyme and a novel detection system, and provides an in-depth exploration of electron interference at the molecular level, advancing the development of bioenergetic therapeutics.