Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus
Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global health threat, severely impeding the effective treatment of bacterial infections and jeopardizing the safety of routine medical procedures. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is particularly problematic because of its resistance...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11891-1 |
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| author | Alex Miranda Nichole D. Brandquist Kristen Johnson Elena Muldiiarova Aleksandr Fadeev Mahboubeh Ghanbari Jennifer L. Endres Kenneth W. Bayles Jason MacTaggart Denis Svechkarev Marat R. Sadykov Yury Salkovskiy |
| author_facet | Alex Miranda Nichole D. Brandquist Kristen Johnson Elena Muldiiarova Aleksandr Fadeev Mahboubeh Ghanbari Jennifer L. Endres Kenneth W. Bayles Jason MacTaggart Denis Svechkarev Marat R. Sadykov Yury Salkovskiy |
| author_sort | Alex Miranda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global health threat, severely impeding the effective treatment of bacterial infections and jeopardizing the safety of routine medical procedures. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is particularly problematic because of its resistance to beta-lactams and the ability to form resilient biofilms. Conventional antibiotics, including last-resort options, have serious side effects and may contribute to further resistance. Chitosan, a natural biopolymer, offers a promising alternative due to its biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties, though its effectiveness against biofilms is limited. Recent studies suggest that increasing the positive charge density and adding hydrophobic moieties to chitosan, can enhance its antimicrobial properties. In this work, the antibacterial activity of quaternized chitosan derivatives against AMR S. aureus strains was assessed. Quaternization of chitosan’s amino group and introduction of hydrophobic side chains was found to significantly inhibit bacterial growth in both methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and MRSA strains. Notably, nanofibrous materials composed of polyethylene oxide and hexyl-modified chitosan demonstrate alterations in S. aureus biofilm development, leading to significant accumulation of dead cells. Combined, these results highlight the potential of modified chitosan derivatives as effective antimicrobial agents for surface treatments and medical device coatings, particularly in applications where antibiotics are traditionally used, such as biofilm-prone environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-91dad1de67284d75914a4eeb2ec2b54a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-91dad1de67284d75914a4eeb2ec2b54a2025-08-20T03:46:03ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-11891-1Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureusAlex Miranda0Nichole D. Brandquist1Kristen Johnson2Elena Muldiiarova3Aleksandr Fadeev4Mahboubeh Ghanbari5Jennifer L. Endres6Kenneth W. Bayles7Jason MacTaggart8Denis Svechkarev9Marat R. Sadykov10Yury Salkovskiy11Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska at OmahaDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical CenterDepartment of Biology, University of Nebraska at OmahaDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical CenterDepartment of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at OmahaDepartment of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at OmahaDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical CenterDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical CenterDepartment of Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical CenterDepartment of Chemistry, University of Nebraska at OmahaDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical CenterDepartment of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at OmahaAbstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global health threat, severely impeding the effective treatment of bacterial infections and jeopardizing the safety of routine medical procedures. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is particularly problematic because of its resistance to beta-lactams and the ability to form resilient biofilms. Conventional antibiotics, including last-resort options, have serious side effects and may contribute to further resistance. Chitosan, a natural biopolymer, offers a promising alternative due to its biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties, though its effectiveness against biofilms is limited. Recent studies suggest that increasing the positive charge density and adding hydrophobic moieties to chitosan, can enhance its antimicrobial properties. In this work, the antibacterial activity of quaternized chitosan derivatives against AMR S. aureus strains was assessed. Quaternization of chitosan’s amino group and introduction of hydrophobic side chains was found to significantly inhibit bacterial growth in both methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and MRSA strains. Notably, nanofibrous materials composed of polyethylene oxide and hexyl-modified chitosan demonstrate alterations in S. aureus biofilm development, leading to significant accumulation of dead cells. Combined, these results highlight the potential of modified chitosan derivatives as effective antimicrobial agents for surface treatments and medical device coatings, particularly in applications where antibiotics are traditionally used, such as biofilm-prone environments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11891-1AMR bacteriaAntimicrobial polymersGrowth inhibitionS. aureusBacterial biofilms |
| spellingShingle | Alex Miranda Nichole D. Brandquist Kristen Johnson Elena Muldiiarova Aleksandr Fadeev Mahboubeh Ghanbari Jennifer L. Endres Kenneth W. Bayles Jason MacTaggart Denis Svechkarev Marat R. Sadykov Yury Salkovskiy Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus Scientific Reports AMR bacteria Antimicrobial polymers Growth inhibition S. aureus Bacterial biofilms |
| title | Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_full | Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_fullStr | Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_short | Quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_sort | quaternized chitosan derivatives inhibit growth and affect biofilm formation of staphylococcus aureus |
| topic | AMR bacteria Antimicrobial polymers Growth inhibition S. aureus Bacterial biofilms |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11891-1 |
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