Fine-tuning the antimicrobial profile of biocompatible gold nanoparticles by sequential surface functionalization using polyoxometalates and lysine.

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial action of nanomaterials is typically assigned to the nanomaterial composition, size and/or shape, whereas influence of complex corona stabilizing the nanoparticle surface is often neglected. We demonstrate sequential surface functionalization of tyrosine-reduced gold nanoparticles (AuNPs(Tyr)) with polyoxometalates (POMs) and lysine to explore controlled chemical functionality-driven antimicrobial activity. Our investigations reveal that highly biocompatible gold nanoparticles can be tuned to be a strong antibacterial agent by fine-tuning their surface properties in a controllable manner. The observation from the antimicrobial studies on a gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli were further validated by investigating the anticancer properties of these step-wise surface-cont

SUBMITTER: Daima HK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3798406 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature