Changes in protein patterns of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by silver nanoparticles capped with poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) polymer

Abstract

Abstract Background While silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are increasingly attractive as an antibacterial agent in many applications, the effect of AgNPs on bacterial protein profiles, especially AgNPs stabilized by polymeric molecules, is not well understood. Objectives To investigate the changes in bacterial protein patterns by AgNPs capped with poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) (AgNPs-PSSMA) polymer toward Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. Methods The growth of bacteria after incubated with AgNPs-PSSMA for different time intervals was determined by optical density at 600 nm. Their protein patterns were observed using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and the proteomic analysis of extracted proteins was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Results AgNPs-PSSMA was able to inhibit the growth of both S. aureus and E. coli cells. The treated bacterial cells expressed more proteins than the untreated cells as seen from SDS-PAGE study. Nanosilver (NS) caused the upregulation of metabolic gene, waaA, in S. aureus cells. For E. coli cells, the upregulated proteins were metabolic genes (srlB, fliE, murD) and other genes dealt with DNA replication (dinG), DNA–RNA transcription (yrdD), RNA– protein translation (rplD), molecular transport (sapF), and signal transduction (tdcF). Conclusions The antibacterial effect of AgNPs-PSSMA may arise by changing the bacterial proteins and thus interfering with the normal cell function.