Affiliation:
1. School of Physics, Chemistry & Earth Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia 5005 Australia
2. Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology College of Science and Engineering Flinders University South Australia 5042 Australia
Abstract
AbstractA novel strategy to treat Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) skin infections is presented, where UV light is used to facilitate concomitant light‐controlled activation and delivery of an antimicrobial therapeutic agent. Specifically, a new photoswitchable gramicidin S analogue was immobilized onto a polymeric wearable patch via a photocleavable linker that undergoes photolysis at the same wavelength of light required for activation of the peptide. Unlike toxic gramicidin S, the liberated active photoswitchable peptide exhibits antimicrobial activity against S. aureus while being ostensibly non‐haemolytic to red blood cells. Moreover, irradiation with visible light switches off the antimicrobial properties of the peptide within seconds, presenting an ideal strategy to regulate antibiotic activity for localized bacterial infections with the potential to mitigate resistance.
Funder
Australian Research Council
Subject
General Chemistry,Catalysis,Organic Chemistry