Functional magnetic nanoparticles for facile viable but nonculturable bacteria separation and purification

Abstract

The functional surface-modified MNPs were capable of capture E. coli with high efficiency.

After induced to VBNC state by chlorination, E. coli cells could be separated by MNPs with an additional incubation process.

This study provides a facile and economic method for VBNC cell enrichment and purification.

GRAPHIC ABSTRACT

Viable But Nonculturable (VBNC) Bacteria, which represent a unique population of microorganisms in drinking water systems, have become a potential threat to human health. Current studies on VBNC cells usually fail to obtain pure VBNC state bacteria, which may lead to inaccurate results. We therefore introduce a novel method of VBNC cell separation and purification in this paper. PAH-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized and found to be capable of capturing and releasing bacterial cells with high efficiency. With the aid of an additional incubation step, VBNC cells were easily isolated and purified from normal bacteria using functional MNPs. Our method represents a new technique that can be utilized in studies of VBNCs.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Drinking water biosafety / VBNC, Nanoparticles / Magnetic separation and purification

References

[1] Figueras M J, Borrego J J. New perspectives in monitoring drinking water microbial quality. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2010, 7(12): 4179–4202

[2] Hunter P R, MacDonald A M, Carter R C. Water supply and health. PLOS Medicine, 2010, 7(11): e1000361

[3] Li Q, Mahendra S, Lyon D Y, Brunet L, Liga M V, Li D, Alvarez P J. Antimicrobial nanomaterials for water disinfection and microbial control: potential applications and implications. Water Research, 2008, 42(18): 4591–4602

[4] Lin S, Huang R, Cheng Y, Liu J, Lau B L, Wiesner M R. Silver nanoparticle-alginate composite beads for point-of-use drinking water disinfection. Water Research, 2013, 47(12): 3959–3965

[5] Martínez-Huitle C A, Brillas E. Electrochemical alternatives for drinking water disinfection. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2008, 47(11): 1998–2005

[6] Xu H S, Roberts N, Singleton F L, Attwell R W, Grimes D J, Colwell R R. Survival and viability of nonculturable Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae in the estuarine and marine environment. Microbial Ecology, 1982, 8(4): 313–323

[7] Li L, Mendis N, Trigui H, Oliver J D, Faucher S P. The importance of the viable but non-culturable state in human bacterial pathogens. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2014, 5: 258

[8] Ramamurthy T, Ghosh A, Pazhani G P, Shinoda S. Current perspectives on viable but non-culturable (VBNC) pathogenic bacteria. Frontiers in Public Health, 2014, 2: 103

[9] Du M, Chen J, Zhang X, Li A, Li Y, Wang Y. Retention of virulence in a viable but nonculturable Edwardsiellatarda isolate. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2007, 73(4): 1349–1354

[10] Cook K L, Bolster C H. Survival of Campylobacter jejuni and Escherichia coli in groundwater during prolonged starvation at low temperatures. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2007, 103(3): 573–583

[11] Muela A, Seco C, Camafeita E, Arana I, Orruño M, López J A, Barcina I. Changes in Escherichia coli outer membrane subproteome under environmental conditions inducing the viable but nonculturable state. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2008, 64(1): 28–36

[12] Nowakowska J, Oliver J D. Resistance to environmental stresses by Vibrio vulnificus in the viable but nonculturable state. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2013, 84(1): 213–222

[13] Oliver J D, Dagher M, Linden K. Induction of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium into the viable but nonculturable state following chlorination of wastewater. Journal of Water and Health, 2005, 3(3): 249–257

[14] Pinto D, Almeida V, Almeida Santos M, Chambel L. Resuscitation of Escherichia coli VBNC cells depends on a variety of environmental or chemical stimuli. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2011, 110(6): 1601–1611

[15] Pinto D, Santos M A, Chambel L. Thirty years of viable but nonculturable state research: unsolved molecular mechanisms. Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 2015, 41(1): 61–76

[16] Kusumoto A, Asakura H, Kawamoto K. General stress sigma factor RpoS influences time required to enter the viable but non-culturable state in Salmonella enterica. Microbiology and Immunology, 2012, 56(4): 228–237

[17] Dwidjosiswojo Z, Richard J, Moritz M M, Dopp E, Flemming H C, Wingender J. Influence of copper ions on the viability and cytotoxicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa under conditions relevant to drinking water environments. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 2011, 214(6): 485–492

[18] Shleeva M, Mukamolova G V, Young M, Williams H D, Kaprelyants A S. Formation of ‘non-culturable’ cells of Mycobacterium smegmatis in stationary phase in response to growth under suboptimal conditions and their Rpf-mediated resuscitation. Microbiology, 2004, 150(Pt 6): 1687–1697

[19] Ayrapetyan M, Williams T C, Oliver J D. Interspecific quorum sensing mediates the resuscitation of viable but nonculturable vibrios. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2014, 80(8): 2478–2483

[20] Pankhurst Q A, Connolly J, Jones S, Dobson J. Applications of magnetic nanoparticles in biomedicine. Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics, 2003, 36(13): R167–R181

[21] Lu A H, Salabas E L, Schüth F. Magnetic nanoparticles: synthesis, protection, functionalization, and application. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2007, 46(8): 1222–1244

[22] Berry C C, Curtis A S. Functionalisation of magnetic nanoparticles for applications in biomedicine. Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics, 2003, 36(13): R198–R206

[23] Huang Y F, Wang Y F, Yan X P. Amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for rapid capture and removal of bacterial pathogens. Environmental Science & Technology, 2010, 44(20): 7908–7913

[24] Zhang D, Berry J P, Zhu D, Wang Y, Chen Y, Jiang B, Huang S, Langford H, Li G, Davison P A, Xu J, Aries E, Huang W E. Magnetic nanoparticle-mediated isolation of functional bacteria in a complex microbial community. ISME Journal, 2015, 9(3): 603–614

[25] Fiorito P A, Gonçales V R, Ponzio E A, de Torresi S I C. Synthesis, characterization and immobilization of Prussian blue nanoparticles. A potential tool for biosensing devices. Chemical Communications, 2005, (3): 366–368

[26] Laurent S, Forge D, Port M, Roch A, Robic C, Vander Elst L, Muller R N. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: synthesis, stabilization, vectorization, physicochemical characterizations, and biological applications. Chemical Reviews, 2008, 108(6): 2064–2110

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg