Defining the Surface Oxygen Threshold That Switches the Interaction Mode of Graphene Oxide with Bacteria
ACS Nano, vol. 17, pp. 6350–6361
Abstract
As antimicrobials, graphene materials (GMs) may have advantages over traditional antibiotics due to their physical mechanisms of action which ensure less chance of development of microbial resistance. However, the fundamental question as to whether the antibacterial mechanism of GMs originates from parallel interaction or perpendicular interaction, or from a combination of these, remains poorly understood. Here, we show both experimentally and theoretically that GMs with high surface oxygen content (SOC) predominantly attach in parallel to the bacterial cell surface when in the suspension phase. The interaction mode shifts to perpendicular interaction when the SOC reaches a threshold of ∼0.3 (the atomic percent of O in the total atoms). Such distinct interaction modes are highly related to the rigidity of GMs. Graphene oxide (GO) with high SOC is very flexible and thus can wrap bacteria while reduced GO (rGO) with lower SOC has higher rigidity and tends to contact bacteria with their edges. Neither mode necessarily kills bacteria. Rather, bactericidal activity depends on the interaction of GMs with surrounding biomolecules. These findings suggest that variation of SOC of GMs is a key factor driving the interaction mode with bacteria, thus helping to understand the different possible physical mechanisms leading to their antibacterial activity.
Authors 13
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Zhiling Guo corresponding
Affiliation as printed
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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Peng Zhang corresponding
University of Science and Technology of China · University of Birmingham
Affiliation as printed
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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Changjian Xie corresponding
Shandong University of Technology
Affiliation as printed
School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, Shandong, China
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Affiliation as printed
Nanoinformatics Department, NovaMechanics Ltd., Nicosia, 1065, Cyprus
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Innsbruck Medical University · Universität Innsbruck
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Affiliation as printed
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Environmental & Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland
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Affiliation as printed
Nanoinformatics Department, NovaMechanics Ltd., Nicosia, 1065, Cyprus
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of High Energy Physics · University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Affiliation as printed
Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Leiden University · National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Center for Safety of Substances and Products, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Nanoinformatics Department, NovaMechanics Ltd., Nicosia, 1065, Cyprus
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Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · National Center for Nanoscience and Technology
Affiliation as printed
CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
GBA National Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, Guangdong 510700, China
Research Unit of Nanoscience and Technology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China
Research Unit of Nanoscience and Technology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
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Affiliation as printed
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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