Effects of Cationic and Anionic Surfaces on the Perpendicular and Lateral Forces and Binding of Aspergillus niger Conidia

The binding of conidia to surfaces is a prerequisite for biofouling by fungal species. In this study, Aspergillus niger subtypes 1957 and 1988 were used which produced differently shaped conidia (round or spikey respectively). Test surfaces were characterised for their surface topography, wettability, and hardness. Conidial assays included perpendicular and lateral force measurements, as well as attachment, adhesion and retention assays. Anionic surfaces were less rough (Ra 2.4 nm), less wettable (54°) and harder (0.72 GPa) than cationic surfaces (Ra 5.4 nm, 36° and 0.5 GPa, respectively). Perpendicular and lateral force assays demonstrated that both types of conidia adhered with more force to the anionic surfaces and were influenced by surface wettability. Following the binding assays, fewer A. niger 1957 and A. niger 1988 conidia bound to the anionic surface. However, surface wettability affected the density and dispersion of the conidia on the coatings, whilst clustering was affected by their spore shapes. This work demonstrated that anionic surfaces were more repulsive to A. niger 1998 spores than cationic surfaces were, but once attached, the conidia bound more firmly to the anionic surfaces. This work informs on the importance of understanding how conidia become tightly bound to surfaces, which can be used to prevent biofouling.

A potential alternative to fungicides using actives-free (meth)acrylate polymers for protection of wheat crops from fungal attachment and infection

Fungicidal compounds are actives widely used for crop protection from fungal infection, but they can also kill beneficial organisms, enter the food chain and promote resistant pathogen strains from overuse. Here we report the first field crop trial of homopolymer materials that prevent fungal attachment, showing successful crop protection via an actives-free approach. In the trial, formulations containing two candidate polymers were applied to young wheat plants that were subject to natural infection with the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. A formulation containing one of the candidate polymers, poly(di(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether acrylate) (abbreviated DEGEEA), produced a significant reduction (26%) in infection of the crop by Z. tritici, delivering protection against fungal infection that compared favourably with three different commercially established fungicide programmes tested in parallel. Furthermore, the sprayed polymers did not negatively affect wheat growth. The two lead polymer candidates were initially identified by bio-performance testing using in vitro microplate- and leaf-based assays and were taken forward successfully into a programme to optimize and scale-up their synthesis and compound them into a spray formulation. Therefore, the positive field trial outcome has also established the validity of the smaller-scale, laboratory-based bioassay data and scale-up methodologies used. Because fungal attachment to plant surfaces is a first step in many crop infections, this non-eluting polymer: (i) now offers significant potential to deliver protection against fungal attack, while (ii) addressing the fourth and aligning with the eleventh principles of green chemistry by using chemical products designed to preserve efficacy of function while reducing toxicity. A future focus should be to develop the material properties for this and other applications including other fungal pathogens.

Lateral force removal of fungal spores to demonstrate how surface properties affect fungal spore retention

Microbial biofouling on polymer surfaces can lead to their biodeterioration. This may result in deterioration of the surface, leading to cracking and fracturing. Fungal spores from Aspergillus niger 1957, Aspergillus niger 1988 and Aureobasidium pullulans were tested to determine their strength of attachment on three surfaces, p(γ-MPS-co-MMA), p(γ-MPS-co-LMA) and spin-coated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMAsc), using lateral force measurements. The results demonstrate that A. niger 1957 and A. niger 1988 spores were most easily removed from the p(γ-MPS-co-MMA) surface, which was the surface with the highest R_a value. The A. niger 1957 and A. pullulans spores were most difficult to remove from the PMMAsc surface, which was the hardest surface. A. niger 1988 spores were the most difficult to remove from p(γ-MPS-co-LMA), the most hydrophobic surface. The results with A. pullulans were difficult to elucidate since the spores bound to all three surfaces and were removed with similar rates of force. The lateral force results demonstrate that spore attachment to a surface is a multi-factorial process, and independent surface and microbial factors influence spore binding. Thus, each environmental scenario needs to be considered on an individual basis, since a solution to one biofouling issue will probably not translate across to other systems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Nanocracks in nature and industry'.

Drawing inspiration from nature to develop anti-fouling coatings: the development of biomimetic polymer surfaces and their effect on bacterial fouling

The development of self-cleaning biomimetic surfaces has the potential to be of great benefit to human health, in addition to reducing the economic burden on industries worldwide. Consequently, this study developed a biomimetic wax surface using a moulding technique which emulated the topography of the self-cleaning Gladiolus hybridus (Gladioli) leaf. A comparison of topographies was performed for unmodified wax surfaces (control), biomimetic wax surfaces, and Gladioli leaves using optical profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that the biomimetic wax surface and Gladioli leaf had extremely similar surface roughness parameters, but the water contact angle of the Gladioli leaf was significantly higher than the replicated biomimetic surface. The self-cleaning properties of the biomimetic and control surfaces were compared by measuring their propensity to repel Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes attachment, adhesion, and retention in mono- and co-culture conditions. When the bacterial assays were carried out in monoculture, the biomimetic surfaces retained fewer bacteria than the control surfaces. However, when using co-cultures of the bacterial species, only following the retention assays were the bacterial numbers reduced on the biomimetic surfaces. The results demonstrate that such surfaces may be effective in reducing biofouling if used in the appropriate medical, marine, and industrial scenarios. This study provides valuable insight into the anti-fouling physical and chemical control mechanisms found in plants, which are particularly appealing for engineering purposes.

Diverse surface properties reveal that substratum roughness affects fungal spore binding

Binding to surfaces by fungal spores is a prerequisite to biofilm formation. The interactions of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), glass, and silicon with three fungal spores, of differing shapes and sizes (Aspergillus niger 1957, Aspergillus niger 1988, and Aureobasidium pullulans), were investigated. A multifractal analysis was conducted to provide quantitative measures of density, dispersion, and clustering of spores on the surfaces. The PTFE, glass, and silicon surfaces presented a range of surface topographies and wettabilities. PTFE was the roughest and most non-wettable surface, whereas silicon was the opposite in terms of both these aspects. The A. niger species were more non-wettable than A. pullulans. Overall, A. niger 1957 attached in higher numbers to PTFE, whereas A. niger 1988 and A. pullulans bound in highest numbers to glass. The results of this work demonstrated that the overall substratum surface roughness influenced spore binding rather than the physicochemical or chemical properties of surfaces or spores.

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Multifractal analysis gave measures of density, dispersion, and clustering of spores

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A. niger 1957 attached in higher numbers to PTFE

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A. niger 1988 and A. pullulans bound in highest numbers to glass

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Substratum surface roughness influenced spore binding

Use of spherical particles to understand conidial attachment to surfaces using atomic force microscopy

Binding of particles and spores to surfaces is a natural phenomenon which is a prerequisite for biofilm formation. Perpendicular force measurements were carried out using atomic force microscopy cantilevers modified with a polystyrene or glass sphere. The attachment of the spheres was tested against glass, PVAc, p(γ-MPSco-MMA), p(γ-MPS-co-LMA), PMMAsc, and silicon surfaces. The polystyrene spheres demonstrated less varied force and strength of attachment measurement to the surfaces than the glass spheres. The force of attachment of the polystyrene spheres was also influenced by mobility of the co-polymer surfaces. Surface wettability did not affect the force of polystyrene or glass sphere attachment. The force measurements of the non-biological spheres were similar to those seen in biological systems with fungal conidia, and this was due to their size, shape, and binding energies. The use of non-biological systems may present an insight into understanding the fundamentals of more complex biological processes.

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The attachment of fungal spores to surfaces is not well understood

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Force measurements of non-biological spheres were similar to those of biological systems

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Non-biological systems may be used to represent biological systems

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The results were due to the size of the spheres/spores and their binding energies

The Influence of Surface Topography and Wettability on Escherichia coli Removal from Polymeric Materials in the Presence of a Blood Conditioning Film

The reduction of biofouling and the reduction of cross-contamination in the food industry are important aspects of safety management systems. Polymeric surfaces are used extensively throughout the food production industry and therefore ensuring that effective cleaning regimes are conducted is vital. Throughout this study, the influence of the surface characteristics of three different polymeric surfaces, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), on the removal of Escherichia coli using a wipe clean method utilising 3% sodium hypochlorite was determined. The PTFE surfaces were the roughest and demonstrated the least wettable surface (118.8°), followed by the PMMA (75.2°) and PET surfaces (53.9°). Following cleaning with a 3% sodium hypochlorite solution, bacteria were completely removed from the PTFE surfaces, whilst the PMMA and PET surfaces still had high numbers of bacteria recovered (1.2 × 107 CFU/mL and 6.3 × 107 CFU/mL, respectively). When bacterial suspensions were applied to the surfaces in the presence of a blood conditioning film, cleaning with sodium hypochlorite demonstrated that no bacteria were recovered from the PMMA surface. However, on both the PTFE and PET surfaces, bacteria were recovered at lower concentrations (2.0 × 102 CFU/mL and 1.3 × 103 CFU/mL, respectively). ATP bioluminescence results demonstrated significantly different ATP concentrations on the surfaces when soiled (PTFE: 132 relative light units (RLU), PMMA: 80 RLU and PET: 99 RLU). Following cleaning, both in the presence and absence of a blood conditioning film, all the surfaces were considered clean, producing ATP concentrations in the range of 0-2 RLU. The results generated in this study demonstrated that the presence of a blood conditioning film significantly altered the removal of bacteria from the polymeric surfaces following a standard cleaning regime. Conditioning films which represent the environment where the surface is intended to be used should be a vital part of the test regime to ensure an effective disinfection process.