Bacterial Virulence and Biosurfactants

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Antimicrobial Agents and Resistance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 1542

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Health and Life Sciences, Catholic University of Pernambuco (UNICAP), Rua do Príncipe, n. 526, Boa Vista, Recife 50050-900, Brasil
Interests: biomolecules; natural products

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Understanding the mechanisms by which bacteria increase their virulence can offer valuable insights when it comes to developing more effective therapeutic strategies. The modulation of bacterial virulence represents a crucial point in the search for new antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, the identification of compounds capable of modulating bacterial virulence may open up new perspectives for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. Biosurfactants have great potential for use in combatting bacterial virulence, especially in the context of the growing resistance to antibiotics. Considering this, it is necessary to research new biosurfactants as antimicrobial agents; their synergistic actions with conventional antibiotics increase the effectiveness of treatments, reducing doses and side effects. This represents an important strategy to combat bacterial resistance and develop new, safer, more effective treatments against microbial infections. The new generation of antimicrobials could represent an important tool in the fight against this global threat to public health. In this collection of topics, we aim to identify new strategies that can be used to overcome bacterial resistance, with a particular focus on the discovery or development of new biosurfactants with promising antimicrobial properties. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Biosurfactants;
  • Bio-inputs;
  • Biopolymers;
  • Biodegradable and green polymers.

Dr. Juliana Luna
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • multi-resistant bacteria (MDR)
  • resistance mechanisms
  • antibiotics
  • antimicrobial agents
  • drug susceptibility
  • green surfactants
  • medicinal plants
  • microbial nanoparticles

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

11 pages, 2086 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Stabilized with Biosurfactant and Application as an Antimicrobial Agent
by Bruna G. A. Lima, Renata Raianny Silva, Hugo M. Meira, Italo J. B. Durval, Clovis Macedo Bezerra Filho, Thayse A. L. Silva, Leonie A. Sarubbo and Juliana Moura Luna
Microorganisms 2024, 12(9), 1849; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12091849 - 6 Sep 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1263
Abstract
Surfactants can be used as nanoparticle stabilizing agents. However, since synthetic surfactants are not economically viable and environmentally friendly, biosurfactants are emerging as a green alternative for the synthesis and stabilization of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles have been applied in several areas of industry, such [...] Read more.
Surfactants can be used as nanoparticle stabilizing agents. However, since synthetic surfactants are not economically viable and environmentally friendly, biosurfactants are emerging as a green alternative for the synthesis and stabilization of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles have been applied in several areas of industry, such as the production of biomedical and therapeutic components, packaging coating, solar energy generation and transmission and distribution of electrical energy, among others. The aim of this study was to synthesize, in a simple and green way, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the biosurfactant produced by Candida lipolytica UCP 0899 as a stabilizer. AgNPs were examined and morphologically characterized using the techniques of ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–visible), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Newly formed silver nanoparticles showed a maximum UV–visible absorption peak at 400 nm, while a shift to 410 nm was observed in those stored for 120 days. SEM micrograph confirmed the formation of nanoparticles with an average size of 20 nm and with a predominant spherical structure, while a zeta potential of −60 mV suggested that the use of the biosurfactant promoted their stability. Stabilized nanoparticles were tested for their antimicrobial activity against bacterial isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter sp., as well as fungal isolates of Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. At a concentration of 16.50 µg/mL, AgNPs inhibited the growth of all target microorganisms according to the following decreasing order: E. coli (95%), S. aureus, C. albicans (90%), A. niger (85%), Enterobacter sp. (75%) and P. aeruginosa (71%). These results suggest the potential use of the biosurfactant as a stabilizer of silver nanoparticles as an antimicrobial agent in different industrial sectors. Furthermore, the in vivo toxicity potential of biosurfactants was evaluated using the Tenebrio molitor model. The larvae were treated with concentrations in the range of 2.5, 5.0 and 10 g/L, and no mortality was observed within the 24 to 72 h period, demonstrating non-toxicity within the tested concentration range. These findings support the safety, efficacy and non-toxicity of biosurfactant-stabilized nanoparticles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bacterial Virulence and Biosurfactants)
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