Biofilm Control by Active Topography with Mucin Coating

Abstract In the innate immune system of mammalians, beating cilia of epithelial cells and the attached mucin proteins prevent the colonization of microbial pathogens. Abiotic biomaterials of medical implants lack such protection and thus are susceptible to microbial colonization, leading to biofilm formation and persistent infections with high‐level antibiotic tolerance. To address this challenge, the team further develops its new strategy of biofilm control by magnetically driven oscillation of micron‐sized pillars on biomaterials. This study is based on a bioinspired design by covalently coating the pillars with mucin, a glycoprotein found ubiquitously in mammalian innate immune systems. The results show that mucin coating significantly enhances the antifouling effects of active topography in both the inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation and removal of its mature biofilms. Analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that mucin coating inhibits bacterial attachment near the pillar base, the area protected from the direct force of beating pillars. In addition, mucin coating enhances the twitching motility of P. aeruginosa but represses its swarming motility and the synthesis of cyclic di‐GMP. These effects further contribute to the antifouling activities. Overall, these findings demonstrate the feasibility of engineering bioinspired antifouling materials for safer medical devices.