Antimicrobial-Peptide-Conjugated MoS2 Based Nanoplatform for Multimodal Synergistic Inactivation of Superbugs

摘要： Development of new antibacterial therapeutics material is becoming increasingly urgent due to the huge threat of superbugs, which are responsible for more than half million death each year in this world. Here, we report the development of novel nano-biomaterial based on melittin antimicrobial peptide (AMP) attached transition metal dichalcogenide MoS2 based theranostic nanoplatform. Reported nanoplatform has capability for targeted identification and synergistic inactivation of 100% multidrug-resistant superbugs by combined photo thermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT) and AMP process. A novel approach for the design of melittin antimicrobial peptide attached MoS2 based nanoplatform is reported, which emits very bright and photo stable fluorescence. It also generates heat as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of 670 nm near infrared light, which allow it to be used as PTT & PDT agent. Due to the presence of AMP, multifunctional AMP exhibits significantly improved antibacterial activity for superbugs via multimodal synergistic killing mechanism. Reported data demonstrate that nanoplatforms are capable of identification of multidrug-resistant superbugs via luminescence imaging. Experimental results show that it is possible to kill only ~45% of superbugs via MoS2 nanopaltform based on PTT & PDT processes together. On the other hand, killing of less than 10% of superbugs is possible using melittin antimicrobial peptide alone. Whereas, 100% Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), drug resistance Escherichia coli (E. coli) and drug resistance Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPN) superbugs can be killed using antimicrobial peptide attached MoS2 QDs, via synergistic killing mechanism. Mechanisms for possible synergistic killing of multidrug-resistant superbugs have been discussed.