Protein-Functionalized Gold Nanospheres with Tunable Photothermal Efficiency for the Near-Infrared Photothermal Ablation of Biofilms

Temperature-responsive nanostructures with high antimicrobial efficacy are attractive for therapeutic applications against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Here, we report temperature-responsive nanospheres (TRNs) engineered to undergo self-association and agglomeration above a tunable transition temperature ( T t ). The temperature-responsive behavior of the nanoparticles is obtained by functionalizing citrate-capped spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs). Using protein design principles, we achieve a broad range of attainable T t values and photothermal conversion efficiencies (η). Two approaches were used to adjust this range: First, by altering the position of the cysteine residue used to attach ELP to the AuNP, we attained a T t range from 34 to 42 °C. Then, by functionalizing the AuNP with an additional small globular protein, we could extend this range to 34–50 °C. Under near-infrared (NIR) light exposure, all TRNs exhibited reversible agglomeration. Moreover, they showed an enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency in their agglomerated state relative to the dispersed state. Despite their spherical shape, TRNs have a photothermal conversion efficiency approaching that of gold nanorods (η = 68 ± 6%), yet unlike nanorods, the synthesis of TRNs requires no cytotoxic compounds. Finally, we tested TRNs for the photothermal ablation of biofilms. Above T t, NIR irradiation of TRNs resulted in a 10,000-fold improvement in killing efficiency compared to untreated controls ( p < 0.0001). Below T t, no enhanced antibiofilm effect was observed. In conclusion, engineering the interactions between proteins and nanoparticles enables the tunable control of TRNs, resulting in a novel antibiofilm nanomaterial with low cytotoxicity.