Protein-coated nanostructured surfaces affect the adhesion of Escherichia coli

Kallas, Pawel, et al. “Protein-coated nanostructured surfaces affect the adhesion of Escherichia coli.” Nanoscale 14.20 (2022): 7736-7746. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NR00976E

Abstract

Developing new implant surfaces with anti-adhesion bacterial properties used for medical devices remains a challenge. Here we describe a novel study investigating nanotopography influences on bacterial adhesion on surfaces with controlled interspatial nanopillar distances. The surfaces were coated with proteins (fibrinogen, collagen, serum and saliva) prior to E. coli-WT adhesion under flow conditions. PiFM provided chemical mapping and showed that proteins adsorbed both between and onto the nanopillars with a preference for areas between the nanopillars. E. coli-WT adhered least to protein-coated areas with low surface nanopillar coverage, most to surfaces coated with saliva, while human serum led to the lowest adhesion. Protein-coated nanostructured surfaces affected the adhesion of E. coli-WT.