EAGER: BACTERIOPHAGE -NANOMATERIAL INTERACTIONS IN THE ENVIRONMENT- A TOTALLY UNEXPLORED RESEARCH AREA

噬菌体-纳米材料在环境中的相互作用-一个完全未开发的研究领域工程纳米颗粒被用于许多消费品和工业产品，并最终通过不同的机制释放到环境中。在过去的十年中，了解金属和金属氧化物纳米颗粒的命运和运输一直是众多研究的焦点。现在的努力还包括了解纳米颗粒与不同水平的生物群的相互作用。纳米颗粒的生物相容性和抗菌活性在选定的细菌中得到了广泛的研究。在自然和工程系统中，除了原核生物外，还存在其他被称为噬菌体的微小实体。噬菌体是一种病毒，仅通过众所周知的溶解和溶原循环感染细菌。然而，我们对工程纳米颗粒对噬菌体的影响一无所知。这个探索性研究（EAGER）项目的首要目标是了解银和钛纳米颗粒对噬菌体传染性的影响。该项目将使用针对抗生素耐药细菌的裂解噬菌体，并将研究银和钛纳米颗粒对斑块形成、形成噬菌体的蛋白质外壳氧化以及纳米颗粒附着在噬菌体颗粒上的影响。该项目有三个不同的目标；(1)利用显微技术评估从自然生态系统中分离的噬菌体与银和钛NPs的相互作用；(2)在这些噬菌体暴露于不同类型的NPs后，评估致病性耐药细菌的裂解噬菌体的传染性；(3)利用分子模型建立机制理解。这项创新研究的结果将为推进纳米颗粒-噬菌体相互作用领域的科学知识建立一个平台。此外，拟议研究的结果将影响其他学科，如环境微生物学、水生毒理学和环境纳米科学与工程。例如，这项研究的结果可能会指导噬菌体介导的药物传递系统，并使更全面的药物治疗方法得以开发。此外，可持续的环境保护方法也可以从这个项目的成果中产生，如果成功的话。在科学教育领域，PI将：1)整合研究生和本科课程的研究成果，(2)将这一新颖的主题纳入正在进行的高中暑期项目，以加强高中实验室研究，(3)通过会议和同行评议的期刊文章传播研究成果。

PI: Goel, RameshProposal Number: 160059EAGER: Bacteriophage-nanomaterial interactions in the environment-a totally unexplored research areaEngineered nanoparticles are used in many consumer and industrial products and, eventually released into the environment through different mechanisms. Understanding the fate and transport of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles has been the focus of numerous studies over the past one decade. Efforts now also include understanding the interactions of nanoparticles with biota at different levels. Biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles have been studied widely in context of selected bacteria. In natural and engineered systems, along with prokaryotes, other tiny entities known as bacteriophages also exist. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria only through their well-known lytic and lysogenic cycles. However, nothing is known about the effect of engineered nanoparticles on bacteriophages. The overarching goal of this Early Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) project is to understand the effect of silver and titanium nanoparticles on the infectivity of bacteriophages. The project will use lytic phages specific for antibiotic resistant bacteria and will study the effect of silver and titanium nanoparticles on plaque formation, oxidation of protein coat forming the body of bacteriophages and attachment of nanoparticles to phage particles. The project has three distinct objectives; (1) Evaluate the interactions of silver and titanium NPs with bacteriophages isolated from natural ecosystems using microscopic techniques, (2) evaluate the infectivity of lytic phages specific to pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria after these lytic phages are exposed to different types of NPs and, (3) formulate a mechanistic understanding using molecular modeling. The results from this innovative research will establish a platform for advancing scientific knowledge in the area of nanoparticle-phage interactions. In addition, the outcomes of the proposed research will impact other disciplines such as environmental microbiology, aquatic toxicology and environmental nanoscience and engineering. For example, the results from this research may guide phage mediated drug delivery systems and enable more holistic approached for drug therapies to be developed. Also, sustainable approaches for environmental protection can also emanate from the results of this project if successful. In the area of science education, the PI will: 1) integrate findings in his graduate and undergraduate courses, (2) incorporate this novel topic into an ongoing high school summer program in order to enhance high school laboratory research and (3) disseminate findings through conferences and peer reviewed journal articles.