title: Aggregation and interaction of cationic nanoparticles on bacterial surfaces.
abstract: Cationic monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with sizes of 6 or 2 nm interact with the cell membranes of  Escherichia coli  (Gram-) and  Bacillus subtilis  (Gram+), resulting in the formation of strikingly distinct AuNP surface aggregation patterns or lysis depending upon the size of the AuNPs. The aggregation phenomena were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. Upon proteolytic treatment of the bacteria, the distinct aggregation patterns disappeared.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 910 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hayden
authors.forename: Gengxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Krishnendu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Ronnie L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Oscar R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Vincent M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Rotello
authors.forename: Mostafa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Krey
authors.forename: Uwe H F
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Bunz
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D006046:Gold