Polyion complex micellar nanoparticles for integrated fluorometric detection and bacteria inhibition in aqueous media.
The development of portable and inexpensive detection methods can significantly contribute to the prevention of water-borne infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria. Here we designed a nanosystem capable of both bacterial detection and inhibition, where polyion complex (PIC) micelles are constructed from negatively-charged tetraphenylethylene (TPE) sulfonate derivatives, which exhibit the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature, and cationic diblock copolymers, poly(ethylene oxide)-b-quaternized poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PEO-b-PQDMA). Upon contacting with bacteria, the PIC nanosystem disintegrates presumably due to competitive binding of polycation blocks with negatively-charged bacterial surfaces. This process is accompanied by a conspicuous quenching of TPE fluorescence emission, serving as a real-time module for microbial detection. Furthermore, the sharp decrease in CFU is indicative of prominent anti-microbial activities. Thus, PIC micelles possess dual functions of fluorometric detection and inhibition for bacteria in aqueous media. By tuning the charge density of TPE sulfonate derivatives and chain length of cationic PQDMA blocks, optimal performance against Gram-negative Escherichia coli has been achieved with a detection limit of 5.5 × 10(4) CFU/mL and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 19.7 μg/mL. Tests against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus were also conducted to demonstrate versatility of the nanosystem.
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Yamin
Y
Li
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Xianglong
X
Hu
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Sidan
S
Tian
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Yang
Y
Li
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Guoqing
G
Zhang
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China. Electronic address: gyzhang@ustc.edu.cn.
Guoying
G
Zhang
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China. Electronic address: sliu@ustc.edu.cn.
Shiyong
S
Liu
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D003470:Culture Media; D007477:Ions; D008823:Micelles; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D007477:Ions; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water
Aggregation-induced emission; Bacteria detection; Biosensors; Macromolecular antimicrobials; Polyion complex micelles