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Natural Bactericidal Surfaces: Mechanical Rupture of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> Cells by Cicada Wings

Small · 2012 · Vol. 8(16) · pp. 2489–2494

Elena P. Ivanova✉(Swinburne University of Technology)Jafar Hasan(Swinburne University of Technology)Hayden K. Webb(Swinburne University of Technology)Vi Khanh Truong(Swinburne University of Technology)Gregory S. Watson(James Cook University)Jolanta A. Watson(James Cook University)Vladimir A. Baulin(Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats)Sergey Pogodin(Universidad Rovira i Virgili)James Wang(Swinburne University of Technology)Mark J. Tobin(Australian Synchrotron)Christian LöbbeRussell J. Crawford(Swinburne University of Technology)

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Abstract

Natural superhydrophobic surfaces are often thought to have antibiofouling potential due to their self-cleaning properties. However, when incubated on cicada wings, Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells are not repelled; instead they are penetrated by the nanopillar arrays present on the wing surface, resulting in bacterial cell death. Cicada wings are effective antibacterial, as opposed to antibiofouling, surfaces.

Surface Modification and Superhydrophobicity Polymer Surface Interaction Studies Marine Biology and Environmental ChemistryNanopillarPseudomonas aeruginosaNanotechnologyWingMicrobiologyBiologyMaterials scienceBacteriaNanostructurePhysics