Bioinspired hybrid eumelanin-TiO₂ antimicrobial nanostructures: the key role of organo-inorganic frameworks in tuning eumelanin's biocide action mechanism through membrane interaction.

ABSTRACT: Intrinsic biocide efficacy of eumelanins can be markedly enhanced through a templated formation in the presence of a TiO₂-sol, leading to hybrid TiO₂-melanin nanostructures. However, mechanisms and processes behind biocide activity still remain poorly understood. This paper discloses the fundamental mechanism of action of these systems providing mechanistic information on their peculiar interaction with Escherichia coli strains. To this purpose biocide characterization is combined with Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to investigate radical species produced by the hybrids as well as their interactions with Gram(-) external bacterial membranes. Experimental results indicate that TiO₂ mediated eumelanin polymerization leads to a pecul

SUBMITTER: Vitiello G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9084248 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature