title: Antibacterial activity of conjugated polyelectrolytes with variable chain lengths.
abstract: Cationic poly(phenylene ethynylene)- (PPE-) based conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) with six different chain lengths ranging in degree of polymerization from ∼7 to ∼49 were synthesized from organic-soluble precursor polymers. The molecular weight of the precursor polymers was controlled by the amount of a monofunctional "end-capping" agent added to the polymerization reaction. Cationic CPEs were prepared by quaternization of amine groups to tetraalkylammonium groups. Their structure-property relationships were investigated by observing their photophysical properties and antibacterial activity. The polymers were found to exhibit a chain-length dependence in their photophysical properties. It has also been observed that the polymers exhibit effective antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria under UV irradiation, whereas they show little antibacterial activity in the dark. An effect of chain length on the light-activated antibacterial activity was also found: The shortest polymer (n=7) exhibited the most effective antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
authors: Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1341, USA.
authors: Eunkyung
authors: E
authors: Ji
authors: Anand
authors: A
authors: Parthasarathy
authors: Thomas S
authors: TS
authors: Corbitt
authors: Kirk S
authors: KS
authors: Schanze
authors: David G
authors: DG
authors: Whitten
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004573:Electrolytes; D011108:Polymers; C473966:poly(phenylene ethynylene)