Biofilm Disruption Utilizing α/β Chimeric Polypeptide Molecular Brushes

Gram-negative bacteria can cause serious infections and are well known problems in biomedical practices. Biofilms of gram-negative bacteria are notorious for their frequently encountered resistance toward antibiotics. We demonstrate that α/β chimeric polypeptide molecular brush (α/β CPMB) exerts potent activities against antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. MTT viability assay, bacterial colony counting, and live/dead staining all indicate that α/β CPMB not only inhibits biofilm formation of gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, but also effectively disrupts mature biofilms that are highly resistant to one of the most active antibiotics—colistin. The superior antibacterial performance of the α/β CPMB implies its potential topical applications in treating biofilms.