Design and Characterization of Bio-inspired Antimicrobial Nanomaterials

Abstract

Colloidal structures are crucial components in biological systems and provide a vivid and seemingly infinite source of inspiration for the design of functional bio-inspired materials. They form multi-dimensional confinements and shape living matter, and transport and protect bioactive molecules in harsh biological environments such as the stomach. Recently, colloidal nanostructures based on natural antimicrobial peptides have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. This contribution summarizes the recent progress in the understanding and design of these bio-inspired antimicrobial nanomaterials, and discusses their advances in the form of dispersions and as surface coatings. Their potential for applications in future food and healthcare materials is also highlighted. Further, it discusses challenges in the characterization of structure and dynamics in these materials.

Bioinspired Antimicrobial Coatings from Peptide-Functionalized Liquid Crystalline Nanostructures

“…One of the most promising approaches to overcome these issues is to encapsulate AMPs into functional carrier systems that can protect them from degradation, tailor their release profile, and target their delivery. − Dispersions of inverted-type nonlamellar liquid crystalline structures and micelles raised considerable attention in this direction due to their large water–lipid interfacial area with the ability to solubilize hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and amphiphilic molecules. − Such solution-based nanocarriers based on amphiphilic lipids including glycerol monooleate (GMO) and oleic acid (OA) were recently designed for the delivery of AMPs. − ,− These lipid/AMP self-assemblies were discovered to even modify the antibacterial activity of the human cathelicidin-derived AMP LL-37, depending on their nanostructure. ,, pH-switchable antibacterial nanoparticles could be designed based on the pH-responsive self-assembly of the LL-37/OA system . However, to the best of our knowledge, the design of antimicrobial coatings based on AMP-loaded nonlamellar liquid crystalline structures has not yet been reported.…”