Anti-Colonization Effect of Au Surfaces with Self-Assembled Molecular Monolayers Functionalized with Antimicrobial Peptides on <i>S. epidermidis</i>

Abstract

Medical devices with an effective anti-colonization surface are important tools for combatting healthcare-associated infections. Here, we investigated the anti-colonization efficacy of antimicrobial peptides covalently attached to a gold model surface. The gold surface was modified by a self-assembled polyethylene glycol monolayer with an acetylene terminus. The peptides were covalently connected to the surface through a copper-catalyzed [3 + 2] azide-acetylene coupling (CuAAC). The anti-colonization efficacy of the surfaces varied as a function of the antimicrobial activity of the peptides, and very effective surfaces could be prepared with a 6 log unit reduction in bacterial colonization.

Keywords

• antimicrobial surface
• antimicrobial peptide
• self-assembled monolayer
• antifouling
• anti-colonization
• ToF-SIMS imaging