Bactericidal Activities of Copolymers Incorporating Formylphenyl Motif for Targeting Surface Proteins

We developed a set of intrinsic antimicrobial copolymers equipped with a dual-binding mechanism for the bacterial cell surface, targeting both the anionic bacterial membrane through electrostatic interactions and surface proteins through reversible imine formation. These copolymers, containing formylphenyl and quaternary ammonium functional groups, were systematically evaluated for their biological activity as the chemical composition and architecture were varied. These bactericidal polymers exhibit potent antimicrobial activity in NB media against both <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>, while also demonstrating excellent <i>in vitro</i> biocompatibility against mammalian and red blood cells. This work expands the chemical repertoire of intrinsic antimicrobial polymers that coalesce with bacterial matter.