Carbon nanodots as molecular scaffolds for development of antimicrobial agents

Maria, Ngu-Schwemlein and Suk, Fun Chin and Ryan, Hileman and Chris, Drozdowski and Clint, Upchurch and April, Hargrove (2016) Carbon nanodots as molecular scaffolds for development of antimicrobial agents. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 26 (7). pp. 1745-1749. ISSN 0960-894X

Preview

PDF Carbon nanodots as molecular scaffolds for development (abstract).pdf Download (191kB) | Preview

Abstract

We report the potential of carbon nanodots (CNDs) as a molecular scaffold for enhancing the antimicrobial activities of small dendritic poly(amidoamines) (PAMAM). Carbon nanodots prepared from sago starch are readily functionalized with PAMAM by using N-ethyl-N0-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Electron microscopy images of these polyaminated CNDs show that they are approximately 30–60 nm in diameter. Infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses of the water-soluble material established the presence of the polyamidoaminated moiety and the intrinsic fluorescence of the nanodots. The polyaminated nanodots (CND-PAM1 and CND-PAM2) exhibit in vitro antimicrobial properties, not only to non-multidrug resistant bacteria but also to the corresponding Gram-negative multidrug bacteria. Their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges from 8 to 64 lg/mL, which is much lower than that of PAMAM G1 or the non-active PAMAM G0 and CNDs. Additionally, they show synergistic effect in combination with tetracycline or colistin. These preliminary results imply that CNDs can serve as a promising scaffold for facilitating the rational design of antimicrobial materials for combating the ever-increasing threat of antibiotic resistance. Moreover, their fluorescence could be pertinent to unraveling their mode of action for imaging or diagnostic applications.

Actions (For repository members only: login required)

View Item