Surface immobilization Of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) for use in antibacterial coating

Bacterial colonization leading to biofilm formation on surfaces is a common threat to patient safety and health care units. One approach to address this prevailing problem is to develop antibacterial coatings on such surfaces. In addition, using antimicrobial peptides (amps) as the antibacterial agent in such coatings is advantageous because of their broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, low propensity towards pathogen resistance and low immune response. Herein we immobilize designed peptide, CKLR, onto amine coated polystyrene plates using different cross linkers suitable for covalent attachment of peptide such as: EDC, NHS-PEG-Mal and Sulfo-SMCC; to investigate its effect on orientation of peptide and then the associated antibacterial activity. Immobilized surfaces are then subjected to biophysical characterizations including surface topography, wettability, elemental composition and peptide segregation. Further antibacterial efficacy of developed surface is determined using colony forming unit assay, membrane integrity assay and anti-biofilm assay. Immobilized CKLR shows significant reduction in bacterial viability post-contact with coated surface for both gram positive and gram negative bacteria.