Nanocoating wipes out MRSA

Scientists have developed a nano-coating that kills 100% of MRSA within 20 minutes, a feat which may help stop the spread of the infectious bacteria.

The coating combines carbon nanotubes with the naturally occurring enzyme lysostaphin, which is used by non-pathogenic strains of Staph bacteria to defend against Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA.

“We’re building on nature,” said Jonathan S Dordick, research leader and director of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Centre for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, “Here we have a system where the surface contains an enzyme that is safe to handle, doesn’t appear to lead to resistance, doesn’t leach into the environment, and doesn’t clog up with debris. The MRSA bacteria come into contact with the surface and they’re killed.

The enzyme works by attaching itself to the bacterial wall and slicing it open – it kills the bacteria almost instantly, but doesn’t attack any other type of bacteria and is non toxic to human cells.

“We have a very selective agent that can be used in a wide range of environments – paints, coating, medical instruments, door knobs, surgical masks – and it’s active and it’s stable,” said Ravi Kane, also a project leader, “It’s ready to use when you’re ready to use it.”

This approach is likely to be superior to other antimicrobial agents which release biocides or spear bacteria. Over time both lose effectiveness – spearing coatings become clogged and biocide-based coatings leach active ingredients into the environment as well as other unwanted side effects.

Kane says it’s unlikely that MRSA will become resistant to a naturally occurring enzyme: “Lysostaphin has evolved over hundreds of millions of years to be very difficult for Staphylococcus aureus to resist,” he said, “It’s an interesting mechanism that these enzymes use that we take advantage of.”