Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Elimination of Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes via a Strong Oxidation Surface in Donor‐Acceptor SA‐PDI@C <sub>60</sub>
Abstract The elimination of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria (ARB) and their antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) requires photocatalysts with strong oxidative surfaces and efficient charge separation under natural light. Herein, a novel donor‐acceptor (D‐A) supramolecular photocatalyst, SA‐PDI@C 60 , is reported for natural light‐driven antibacterial application. The D‐A structure of SA‐PDI@C 60 amplifies the interfacial electric field (IEF) (≈1.96 times) and promotes efficient carrier separation and migration along π–π stacked pathways, leading to the accumulation of holes at the catalyst surface. This generates a highly oxidative antibacterial interface enriched in multiple reactive oxygen species. As a result, SA‐PDI@C 60 achieves 100% inactivation of Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , and ARB within 2 h under sunlight, accompanied by irreversible ARG degradation within 4 h, thereby preventing horizontal gene transfer. Proteomic analyses reveal that ROS‐induced oxidative stress disrupted DNA replication, aerobic respiration, and energy metabolism, ultimately causing bacterial death. This study demonstrates a D‐A photocatalyst with a highly active surface and effective IEF‐driven charge separation, offering a promising strategy for photocatalytic antibacterial action and ARG elimination under natural light.
Authors
- Yongfa Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8528-509X)
- Xiaolin Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6568-0308)
- Wenhao Shi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3855-0464)
- Jinhan Sheng
- Jun Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5679-3239)
- Lijuan Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4973-7519)
- Ming Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2783-9426)
- Wenting Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0470-9354)
- Haoying Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9190-9978)
- Wenlu Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2289-0647)
- Yizhou Yan
Institutions
- Beijing Technology and Business University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Changsha University (CN)
- Hebei University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (CN)
- Shaanxi Normal University (CN)
- Tsinghua University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Published
- 2025-09-18
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202517661
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.45