Basic physiology of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contacted with carbon nanocomposites

Abstract

AbstractExperiments describing properties of nanomaterials on bacteria are frequently limited to the disk diffusion method or other end-point methods indicating viability or survival rate in plate count assay. Such experimental design does not show the dynamic changes in bacterial physiology, mainly when performed on reference microorganisms (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus). Testing other microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, could provide novel insights into the microbial response to nanomaterials. Therefore, we aimed to test selected carbon nanomaterials and their components in a series of experiments describing the basic physiology of P. aeruginosa. Concentrations ranging from 15.625 to 1000 µg/mL were tested. The optical density of cultures, pigment production, respiration, growth curve analysis, and biofilming were tested. The results confirmed variability in the response of P. aeruginosa to tested nanostructures, depending on their concentration. The co-incubation with the nanostructures (in concentration 125 µg/mL) could inhibit the population growth (in most cases) or promote it in the case of graphene oxide. Furthermore, a specific concentration of a given nanomaterial could cause contradictory effects leading to stimulation or inhibition of pigmentation, an optical density of the cultures, or biofilm formation. We have found that particularly nanomaterials containing TiO2 could induce pigmentation in P. aeruginosa, which indicates the possibility of increased virulence. On the other hand, nanocomposites containing cobalt nanoparticles had the highest anti-bacterial potential when cobalt was displayed on the surface. Our approach revealed changes in respiration and growth dynamics that can be used to search for nanomaterials’ application in biotechnology.