Geno-toxic study of silver bio-nanoparticles toward Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinical isolates

Background

In recent years, with the implication of green chemistry principles in the synthesis protocol, nano silver is gaining much attention in biomedical and clinical field. Alongside, with the increased incidence of antibiotic(s) resistance among various microorganisms, there is also a need for an effective containment strategy to prevent their escape in the environment. The so called elixir (drug) proving its inability, an effective nano-biotechnological approach has ventured in to combat such pathogens.

Objective

To study the toxic effect of silver bio-nanoparticles synthesized using a soil bacterium, Bacillus sp. on genomic DNA isolated from pathogenic bacteria.

Methods

In this study, silver bio-nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized using extracellular bacterial filtrate. Characterization of SNPs was done using UV–vis spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). Antibacterial study of SNPs toward the pathogenic bacteria was studied by Kirby Bauer's Disc diffusion method. The toxic effect of SNPs on the genomic DNA isolated from the pathogenic microorganisms was investigated by agarose gel electrophoresis.

Results

The time dependent toxic effect of SNPs on genomic DNA has been validated.

Conclusion

The SNPs exhibit potential antibacterial activity toward clinical isolates tested. DNA fragmentation by SNPs was observed in the form of shear may be due to the affinity and complex forming tendency with Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) present as phosphates on nucleic acid resulting in fragmentation. This modus operandi toward DNA isolated from the clinical isolates might have a vigil over genetically altered organisms.