Multi-resistant microbes have become a serious problem worldwide due to the misuse of antibiotics. Traditional antibiotics kill microbes by interfering with the formation of the bacterium's cell wall and its cell contents or hindering microbial multiplication. However, the rapidly developing antibiotic resistances of microbes, by mutations or horizontal gene transfer, challenge the efficiency of antibiotics.
Emerging nanomaterials (NMs) have been identified as a powerful weapon against multi-resistant bacteria due to their unique nanoscale physio-chemical properties (e.g., the released ions leading to the generation of reactive species, 'smart' delivery strategies for classical antibiotics, or antimicrobial nano-peptide polymers). Among many nanomaterials, silver nanomaterials have been imposed as an excellent antimicrobial agent to combat bacteria-causing infections. In this presentation, I will show some preliminary data on silver nanomaterials' antimicrobial properties from new angles of resistance, shapes, and single-cell levels.
Our initial findings highlight that both the size and shape of silver nanomaterials are relevant to the killing efficiency of gram-positive bacteria Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA 300. However, only the size of silver nanomaterials is relevant to the killing efficiency of gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. We also successfully generated single-bacteria semi-permeable capsules (SPCs) by a droplet microfluidic system and cultured the bacteria inside of SPCs.
In summary, our preliminary results showed a high promise for investigating antimicrobial nanomaterials from new angles.
Chengfang Pang Kamp’s presentation
