Constructing electron transfer channels between MoFe and bacteria for effective antibacterial therapy

Heterojunction structure MOSF NCs serve as an “electron reservoir”. • MOSF NCs transport electrons into bacteria via the surface Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ cycle. • Electronic attack on the CoQ-mediated respiratory chain of bacteria. • This study built a real-time fluorescence system for bacterial ETC interference. Although the phenomenon of current flow between bacteria and nanomaterials has long been observed, the direction of electron flow and specific interaction sites remain unclear. To address this, we designed a molybdenum (Mo) - based heterojunction electron reservoir (MOSF nanocrystals), enabling rapid Mo 6+ /Mo 4+ cycling, and introduced Fe as a mediator to shuttle electrons into bacteria through surface Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ redox. Upon contact with bacteria, MOSF nanocrystals (NCs) have the potential to block the coenzyme Q (CoQ)-mediated electron transport chain (ETC), causing energy depletion and bacterial death. This study also pioneers the development of a real-time fluorescent detection system to monitor electronic interference with bacterial ETC. This system can track how electrons in MOSF NCs inhibit bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication, which is attributed to the inhibition of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis. By integrating transcriptomic and biochemical analysis techniques, we deduced at the atomic level that the antibacterial effect likely stems from the disruption of CoQ on the bacterial cell membrane, which in turn blocks the bacterial ETC. This study proposes an effective antibacterial nanoenzyme and a novel detection system, and provides an in-depth exploration of electron interference at the molecular level, advancing the development of bioenergetic therapeutics. We designed a strategy utilizing a Mo-based heterojunction as an electron reservoir (MOSF NCs), enabling rapid electron transfer between Mo 6+ in MoO₃ and Mo 4+ in MoS₂. Additionally, we introduced iron as an electron transfer mediator between the nanomaterials and the bacteria, thereby regulating the electron flow between them and ultimately achieving the goal of bacterial inactivation. Concurrently, this study pioneered the development of a real-time fluorescent detection system for monitoring electronic interference with the bacterial ETC. This system enables direct visualization of how electrons from MOSF NCs inhibit bacterial DNA replication, a process attributed to the suppression of ATP synthesis. Download: Download high-res image (182KB) Download: Download full-size image