Open AccessBacteriocin‐capped silver nanoparticles for enhanced antimicrobial efficacy against food pathogens
Author(s) -
Sidhu Parveen Kaur,
Nehra Kiran
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
iet nanobiotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.366
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1751-875X
pISSN - 1751-8741
DOI - 10.1049/iet-nbt.2019.0323
Subject(s) - bacteriocin , antimicrobial , silver nanoparticle , preservative , shigella flexneri , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , food preservatives , chemistry , pathogenic bacteria , nanoparticle , antibacterial activity , food microbiology , food science , materials science , nanotechnology , escherichia coli , biology , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria are safer alternatives to the more popularly used chemical preservatives which exhibit several adverse effects. The bacteriocins have an advantage of being efficient in controlling food pathogens without possessing any side‐effects. However, the bacteriocins have a limitation of exhibiting a narrow antimicrobial spectrum and having a high‐dosage requirement. With an aim to combat these limitations, the present study involved the biosynthesis of bacteriocin‐capped nanoparticles, using two bacteriocins (Bac4463 and Bac22) extracted and purified from Lactobacillus strains. Nanoconjugates synthesised at optimum conditions were characterized using various physico‐chemical techniques. The interaction of bacteriocin‐capped silver nanoparticles with the pathogenic bacteria was observed using scanning electron microscopy, wherein the deformed and elongated cells were clearly visible. In vitro antimicrobial efficacy of both Bac4463‐capped silver nanoparticles and Bac22‐capped silver nanoparticles against different food pathogens was observed to be enhanced in comparison to the antimicrobial activity of bacteriocins alone. Minimum inhibitory concentration was observed to be as low as 8 μg/ml for Bac4463‐capped silver nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus , and 2 μg/ml for Bac22‐capped silver nanoparticles against Shigella flexneri . This study, therefore, recommends the use of bacteriocin‐capped nanoparticles as food preservatives to control the growth of food spoiling bacteria.