The attract-kill inhibition mechanism in Ag/chitosan hydrogel for long-acting control of Ralstonia solanacearum

Nanoscale. 2024 Nov 21;16(45):21077-21087. doi: 10.1039/d4nr03306j.

Abstract

In this study, we developed an innovative eco-friendly antiseptic nanocomposite, specifically a silver nanoparticle (Ag NP)-immobilized chitosan hydrogel (Ag@Cs/Csh gel), synthesized through a cross-linking reaction involving polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). This nanocomposite was designed to combat Ralstonia solanacearum (R. solanacearum) infections, particularly in Solanaceae plants. Chitosan of varying molecular weights (50-190 kDa for Cs and 300-375 kDa for Csh) was used to control the swelling efficacy and regulate the release of Ag NPs. The gels were loaded with either 0.1 or 0.25 mg of Ag NPs and assessed for their antibacterial efficacy against R. solanacearum at various concentrations using the turbidity method. At 5 × 104 CFU mL-1, all gel samples, except for controls, exhibited notable antibacterial activity lasting up to 18.5 days. At higher concentrations of 5 × 106 and 5 × 108 CFU mL-1, the 0.25-Ag@Cs/Csh gel achieved nearly 100% eradication over 18.5 days. Notably, parallel experiments with various concentrations of Ag NPs alone showed limited antibacterial effectiveness against R. solanacearum. Therefore, we propose an "attract and kill" antibacterial mechanism to elucidate the enhanced disinfection capability of the Ag@Cs/Csh gel. Initially, the positively charged chitosan hydrogel attracts negatively charged bacteria, followed by steady Ag+ ion release to eradicate them, providing potent and prolonged antibacterial efficacy.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Chitosan* / chemistry
  • Chitosan* / pharmacology
  • Hydrogels* / chemistry
  • Hydrogels* / pharmacology
  • Metal Nanoparticles* / chemistry
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Nanocomposites / chemistry
  • Ralstonia solanacearum* / drug effects
  • Silver* / chemistry
  • Silver* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Chitosan
  • Silver
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Hydrogels