Thursday, January 26, 2023
News on Pathogens and Preparedness
Global Biodefense
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
Global Biodefense
No Result
View All Result
Home Defense + Military

Precious Metals for Biological Defense

by Global Biodefense Staff
February 1, 2016
M. Lysodeikticus

Gold has always been a precious metal, but scientists are making it more valuable by using it as a tool to save military lives by serving as a biological defense protecting service members from bacteria-based pathogens.

Backed by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Joint Science and Technology Office, scientists are embarking on a new nanomotor-based destruction strategy as a highly efficient and rapid bacteria-killing method. The strategy is based on coupling the antibacterial activity of lysozymes with the continuous movement of porous gold nanowires.

The research project, including principal investigator Dr. Joe Wang, his team at the University of California at San Diego and managed by Dr. Brian Pate from DTRA, demonstrated that effective rapid bacterial-killing lysozyme-modified fuel-free ultrasound propelled nanomotors are capable of preventing surface aggregation of dead bacteria while providing a significant increase in bacteria-killing capability.

M. Lysodeikticus Bacteria
A scanning electron microscope image of dead (after treatment) M. lysodeikticus bacteria (bottom). Image credit: Dr. Joe Wang

Lysozymes occur in nearly every eukaryotic cell of most animal species and are part of the innate immune system. They are found in tears, saliva, mucous, egg whites and other animal fluids serving as a natural form of protection from gram-positive pathogens like Bacillus and Streptococcus. Functioning as digestion machines, lysozyme’s primary role is to attack peptidoglycans found in the cell walls of bacteria and break down or digest complex molecules such as sugars and proteins.

The research documents the first account that nanomotors can inactivate bacteria within a few minutes.

Demonstrated using M. lysodeikticus and E. coli bacterial models, the motion and increased surface area of lysozyme-loaded ultrasound-driven porous nanomotors in bacterial contaminated samples greatly enhance the lysozyme-bacteria interactions and bacterial-killing capability.

The recent insights into factors affecting performance of this new nano fighting bacteria-killing system will enable further development of novel antibacterial nanotechnology strategies. Spanning applications from combating infectious diseases to bacterial infections, these recent discoveries will provide the foundation for emerging capabilities in biodefense, food and water disinfection, and healthcare for in vitro and in vivo biomedical applications.

Source: Defense Threat Reduction Agency, adapted.

Tags: Animal ModelsDefense Threat Reduction AgencyNanotech

Related Posts

Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions
Pathogens

Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

January 25, 2023
DARPA Selects Teams to Develop Vaccine Durability Prediction Model
Medical Countermeasures

DARPA Selects Teams to Develop Vaccine Durability Prediction Model

January 13, 2023
small glass vials on an assembly line await filling of vaccine solution
Industry News

Sabin Vaccine Institute to Advance Ebola Sudan and Marburg Vaccines with New BARDA Funding

January 12, 2023
How Are Bivalent COVID Vaccines Stacking Up Against Omicron?
Infectious Diseases

How Are Bivalent COVID Vaccines Stacking Up Against Omicron?

January 12, 2023
Load More

Latest News

Partner Therapeutics’ Novel Approach to Stratify Sepsis Patients Gains Backing From BARDA

Biopreparedness Research Virtual Environment (BRaVE) Initiative Backed by $105M DOE Funding

January 25, 2023
Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

January 25, 2023
Biodefense Headlines – 24 January 2023

Biodefense Headlines – 24 January 2023

January 24, 2023
Biodefense Headlines – 17 January 2023

Biodefense Headlines – 17 January 2023

January 17, 2023

Subscribe

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC