Behavior of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains on the nanopillar topography of dragonfly (Pantala flavescens) wing under flow conditions

Abstract

Bacterial associated infection is a threat in the medical field. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the major causative agents for nosocomial infection, has developed resistance to almost all the classes of antibiotics. Recently, nanopillar-like structures were identified on the wings of insects such as cicada and dragonfly. Nanopillars both on natural surfaces and those mimicked on artificial surfaces were reported to possess bactericidal activity against a wide range of bacteria. An earlier study reported strain specific variation in the viability of P. aeruginosa on the nanopillar topography of a dragonfly wing under static condition. Here, we report the behavior of P. aeruginosa strains on a dragonfly wing under hydrodynamic conditions. The results of the study indicated that, under hydrodynamic conditions, P. aeruginosa PAO1 was attached in higher numbers to the wing surface than P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027 but killed in lower numbers. The plausible reason was identified to be the masking of nanopillars by the secreted extracellular polysaccharide. The shear rate of 1.0 s−1 showed a relatively higher bactericidal effect among the three tested shear rates.

Critical Review of Nanopillar-Based Mechanobactericidal Systems

“…It is also possible to postulate that, under flow conditions, the bacteria experience advective flow, which causes their collision with nanopillars with a significant impact force that might increase the killing efficiency . On the other hand, a recent study by Kamarajan et al reported an increased adhesion and survival rate for P. aureuginosa PAO1 on nanostructured surfaces under flow conditions. They attributed this behavior to the increased secretion of an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) adopted by the bacteria, which masked the nanopillar tips.…”