Bacterial-engineered self-stabilizing ultra-small AgCu nanoparticles for dual antimicrobial-anticancer therapy.

ABSTRACT: Bimetallic silver-copper nanoparticles (AgCu NPs) exhibit enhanced antibacterial properties compared to their monometallic counterparts; however, their clinical translation is limited by poor stability and biocompatibility. Here, we unveil a bacterial incubation-driven synthesis (bacterial-enabled dynamic nanoreactor) of ultra-small AgCu NPs with dual antimicrobial-antitumor functionality. Remarkably, conventional 15 nm AgCu NPs undergo spontaneous size reduction to 2 nm upon interaction with E. coli or S. aureus, accompanied by a complete loss of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and formation of protein-capped stable dispersions. Mechanistic studies reveal this bacterially triggered transformation involves Ag⁺ release via oxidative dissolution in saline environment

SUBMITTER: Peng Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12617648 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature