Antibacterial nano-coatings derived from insect protein
Resilin-based antibacterial nano-coatings can completely block bacteria from attaching to a surface.
A collaborative team, led by researchers at RMIT University (Melbourne, Australia), has developed resilin-based antibacterial nano-coatings that could have important applications in medical implants and drug development. The team demonstrated that the nano-coatings could completely block bacteria from attaching to surfaces in laboratory conditions, highlighting their potential for preventing bacterial infections.
Despite stringent sterilization and infection controls, bacteria can often be found on medical implants following surgery, leading to bacterial infections. While antibiotics can be used to treat these infections, the rise in antibiotic resistance has caused concerns and prompted further research into preventative measures.
With this in mind, attention has turned to developing antibacterial materials from biological sources due to their responsive nature to their environment. However, designing surfaces using these biological components while ensuring functionality, biocompatibility, cell adhesion and the ability to repel harmful bacteria has been challenging.
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Resilin – an insect protein that exhibits multi-stimuli-responsive behavior and is known for its outstanding resilience – makes a promising candidate for constructing an antibacterial surface to prevent bacterial colonization; however, the effect of resilin-based nanostructures on surface properties is not fully understood.
Now, the team has developed several resilin-based nano-coatings from altered forms of resilin, which were characterized using atomic force microscopy, neutron scattering and reflectometry techniques. The team then performed both cellular and antibacterial studies with human skin cells and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria to further investigate bio-interfacial interactions of selected nano-coatings in laboratory conditions.
The results revealed that the altered forms of resilin in nano-droplet form were 100% effective at preventing the E. coli from attaching to the surface, while also interacting well with the human skin cells. Additionally, the resilin-based coatings offered several advantages compared to traditional approaches. “Unlike antibiotics, which can lead to resistance, the mechanical disruption caused by the resilin coatings may prevent bacteria from establishing resistance mechanisms,” commented lead author Nisal Wanasingha.
Due to the natural origins of resilin and its biocompatibility, these nano-coatings reduce the risk of adverse reactions in human tissues and are more environmentally friendly than alternative coatings based on silver nanoparticles.
“Future work includes attaching antimicrobial peptide segments during recombinant synthesis of resilin-mimics and incorporating additional antimicrobial agents to broaden the spectrum of activity,” concluded co-author Naba Dutta.
