title: Natural selenium particles from Staphylococcus carnosus: Hazards or particles with particular promise?
abstract: Various bacteria, including diverse Staphylococci, reduce selenite to yield red selenium particles with diameters in the high nanometer to low micrometer range. Formation and accumulation of such particles in bacteria often results in cell death, triggered by a loss of thiols and formation of disruptive deposits inside the cell. Hence certain pathogenic bacteria are rather sensitive to the presence of selenite, whilst other organisms, such as small nematodes, do not employ this kind of nanotechnology, yet become affected by micromolar concentrations of such naturally generated materials. Selenium particles extracted from cultures of Staphylococcus carnosus and apparently stabilized by their natural protein coating, for instance, show considerable activity against the nematode Steinernema feltiae, Escherichia coli and Saccaromyces cerevisiae. Such natural nano- and micro-particles are also more active than mechanically generated selenium particles and may be applied as antimicrobial materials in Medicine and Agriculture.
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbuecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Ethiene Castellucci
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Estevam
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbuecken, Germany; Applied Pharmacy Division, University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, 66953 Pirmasens, Germany; Department of Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, 66482 Zweibruecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Sharoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbuecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Muhammad Jawad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nasim
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbuecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Polina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denezhkin
authors.affiliation: Applied Pharmacy Division, University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, 66953 Pirmasens, Germany.
authors.forename: Ramona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Technology and Microsystem Technology, University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, 66482 Zweibruecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lilischkis
authors.affiliation: Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, ul. Medyczna 9, 30-688 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dominguez-Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, ul. Medyczna 9, 30-688 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Witek
authors.affiliation: Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, ul. Medyczna 9, 30-688 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Gniewomir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Latacz
authors.affiliation: Applied Pharmacy Division, University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, 66953 Pirmasens, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keck
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, 66482 Zweibruecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Herbert
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, ul. Medyczna 9, 30-688 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kieć-Kononowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, ul. Medyczna 9, 30-688 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Handzlik
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbuecken, Germany. Electronic address: c.jacob@mx.uni-saarland.de.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacob
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D036103:Nanotechnology; D009348:Nematoda / Q000187:drug effects; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D052638:Particulate Matter; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds
keywords: Antimicrobial; Bioreduction; Nanoparticles; Nematicide; Protein-coating; Selenium