Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms

IntroductionThe increasing resistance to antimicrobial drugs has prompted global efforts to combat pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The World Health Organization’s recent report underscores the urgent need for innovative antimicrobial strategies to address infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, E...

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Main Authors: Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti, Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada, Pamela Soledad Bustos, Manuela Maldonado Torales, Iván Manrrique Hughes, María Gabriela Paraje, Natalia Guiñazú
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1545119/full
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author Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti
Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti
Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada
Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada
Pamela Soledad Bustos
Manuela Maldonado Torales
Manuela Maldonado Torales
Iván Manrrique Hughes
Iván Manrrique Hughes
María Gabriela Paraje
María Gabriela Paraje
Natalia Guiñazú
Natalia Guiñazú
author_facet Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti
Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti
Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada
Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada
Pamela Soledad Bustos
Manuela Maldonado Torales
Manuela Maldonado Torales
Iván Manrrique Hughes
Iván Manrrique Hughes
María Gabriela Paraje
María Gabriela Paraje
Natalia Guiñazú
Natalia Guiñazú
author_sort Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe increasing resistance to antimicrobial drugs has prompted global efforts to combat pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The World Health Organization’s recent report underscores the urgent need for innovative antimicrobial strategies to address infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Candida tropicalis. This study presents a comparative evaluation of the effects of biogenically synthesized zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, highlighting their effectiveness against both planktonic and sessile forms of these tested pathogens.MethodsThe antimicrobial effects were assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, broth microdilution, and time-kill assays. Biofilm formation and eradication were evaluated through crystal violet staining, resazurin assays, and colony-forming unit quantification. Additionally, the oxidative and nitrosative stress toxicity mechanisms triggered by ZnNPs, particularly those related to cellular stress, were investigated.ResultsThe results demonstrated that ZnNPs exhibit concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. ZnNPs inhibit biofilm formation by up to 50% in E. coli and yeast species, and up to 80% in S. aureus.DiscussionThese antibiofilm activities were attributed to disruptions in cellular stress metabolism, primarily driven by nitrosative stress through enhanced production of reactive nitrogen intermediates. ZnNPs synthesized through green methods offer significant advantages due to their biocompatibility and potential biomedical applications. These findings advance our understanding of ZnNPs in combating biofilm-associated infections, offering promising strategies to address pathogenic bacteria and fungi, which pose a critical threat to global health.
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spelling doaj-art-f4ac19d08ca64c529e99a6cee10453fa2025-08-20T03:11:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882025-07-011510.3389/fcimb.2025.15451191545119Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganismsEliana Daniela Lopez Venditti0Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti1Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada2Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada3Pamela Soledad Bustos4Manuela Maldonado Torales5Manuela Maldonado Torales6Iván Manrrique Hughes7Iván Manrrique Hughes8María Gabriela Paraje9María Gabriela Paraje10Natalia Guiñazú11Natalia Guiñazú12Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue (CITAAC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Neuquén, ArgentinaDepartamento de Ciencias del Ambiente y la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias del Ambiente y la Salud, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Neuquén, ArgentinaCátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, ArgentinaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, ArgentinaDepartamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre y Medina Allende, Córdoba, ArgentinaCátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, ArgentinaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, ArgentinaCátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, ArgentinaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, ArgentinaCátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, ArgentinaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, ArgentinaCentro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue (CITAAC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Neuquén, ArgentinaDepartamento de Ciencias del Ambiente y la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias del Ambiente y la Salud, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Neuquén, ArgentinaIntroductionThe increasing resistance to antimicrobial drugs has prompted global efforts to combat pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The World Health Organization’s recent report underscores the urgent need for innovative antimicrobial strategies to address infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Candida tropicalis. This study presents a comparative evaluation of the effects of biogenically synthesized zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, highlighting their effectiveness against both planktonic and sessile forms of these tested pathogens.MethodsThe antimicrobial effects were assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, broth microdilution, and time-kill assays. Biofilm formation and eradication were evaluated through crystal violet staining, resazurin assays, and colony-forming unit quantification. Additionally, the oxidative and nitrosative stress toxicity mechanisms triggered by ZnNPs, particularly those related to cellular stress, were investigated.ResultsThe results demonstrated that ZnNPs exhibit concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. ZnNPs inhibit biofilm formation by up to 50% in E. coli and yeast species, and up to 80% in S. aureus.DiscussionThese antibiofilm activities were attributed to disruptions in cellular stress metabolism, primarily driven by nitrosative stress through enhanced production of reactive nitrogen intermediates. ZnNPs synthesized through green methods offer significant advantages due to their biocompatibility and potential biomedical applications. These findings advance our understanding of ZnNPs in combating biofilm-associated infections, offering promising strategies to address pathogenic bacteria and fungi, which pose a critical threat to global health.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1545119/fullbiogenic zinc nanoparticlesantibacterial activityantifungal activitybiofilm associated infectionsoxidative stressnitrosative stress
spellingShingle Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti
Eliana Daniela Lopez Venditti
Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada
Karina Fernanda Crespo Andrada
Pamela Soledad Bustos
Manuela Maldonado Torales
Manuela Maldonado Torales
Iván Manrrique Hughes
Iván Manrrique Hughes
María Gabriela Paraje
María Gabriela Paraje
Natalia Guiñazú
Natalia Guiñazú
Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
biogenic zinc nanoparticles
antibacterial activity
antifungal activity
biofilm associated infections
oxidative stress
nitrosative stress
title Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms
title_full Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms
title_fullStr Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms
title_full_unstemmed Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms
title_short Antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms
title_sort antibacterial antifungal and antibiofilm activities of biogenic zinc nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganisms
topic biogenic zinc nanoparticles
antibacterial activity
antifungal activity
biofilm associated infections
oxidative stress
nitrosative stress
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1545119/full
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