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Effect of the size and shape of silver nanoparticles on bacterial growth and metabolism by monitoring optical density and fluorescence intensity

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Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), depending on their size and shape, on green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing E. coli, which provides a facile, rapid, and noninvasive monitoring system. By measuring optical density and fluorescence intensity in the recombinant E. coli, we found that smaller sized plate-shaped AgNPs presented higher antibacterial activity than larger sized, cubic and spherical AgNPs. In the case of 10 nm spherical AgNPs, the optical density was detectable at 15 ng/mL after 12 h incubation, but the fluorescence intensity was not. On the other hand, smaller-sized AgNPs showed higher toxicity than plate-shaped AgNPs based on the measurement of the optical density and fluorescence intensity. The combined analysis of optical density and fluorescence intensity may be helpful for understanding the effect of various materials, including nano- and organic materials, on recombinant bacteria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, Korea

    Do Hyeon Kim, Go Eun Jeon & Jeong Hyun Seo

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 790-784, Korea

    Jeong Chan Park

  3. School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, Korea

    Chang Sup Kim

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  1. Do Hyeon Kim
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  2. Jeong Chan Park
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  3. Go Eun Jeon
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  4. Chang Sup Kim
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  5. Jeong Hyun Seo
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Correspondence to Jeong Hyun Seo.

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These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Kim, D.H., Park, J.C., Jeon, G.E. et al. Effect of the size and shape of silver nanoparticles on bacterial growth and metabolism by monitoring optical density and fluorescence intensity. Biotechnol Bioproc E 22, 210–217 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-016-0641-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-016-0641-3

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