Compiling Modules of Photosensitizers and Quaternary Phosphonium Blocks into Materials’ Networks by co- Polymerization Strategy: An Effective Way to Fabricate Antimicrobial Agents to Against Drug Resistance

Abstract

Quaternary ammonium and phosphoniums compounds have been widely used as two important classes of antimicrobial agents worldwide. However, an over-reliance and misuse of the limited antimicrobial agents has driven the development and spread of resistance to these materials. Thus, how to overcome the growingly increased drug resistance to modern public health becomes a challenging work. In this work, we compiled two modules of photosensitizers and quaternary phosphonium blocks into materials’ networks by co-polymerization method, resulting in the desired antimicrobial materials with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capability and high affinity with the negatively charged bacteria membranes, this synergistical effect can make ROS to destroy bacteria membranes within an effective migration distance. As a result, Poly(TPAs-2&P+-4) was optimized as an promising one, which demonstrated superior bacteria killing andimaging abilities against to four bacteria lines as E. coli, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined as 75 μg/mL for E. coli, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus; and 150, 350 μg/mL for E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa respectively.