Long-Term Effectiveness of Engineered T7 Phages Armed with Silver Nanoparticles Against Escherichia coli Biofilm

Mateusz Szymczak, Piotr Golec Department of Molecular Virology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandCorrespondence: Piotr Golec, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Virology, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw, Poland, Email [email protected]: The escalating threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly those forming biofilm structures, underscores the urgent need for alternative treatment strategies. Bacteriophages have emerged as promising agents for combating bacterial infections, especially those associated with biofilm formation. However, the efficacy of phage therapy can be limited by the development of bacterial resistance and biofilm regrowth. Interestingly, phages could be combined with other agents, such as metal nanoparticles, to enhance their antibacterial effectiveness. Since the therapeutic strategy of using phages and metal nanoparticles has been developed relatively recently, evaluating its efficacy under various conditions is essential, with a particular focus on the duration of activity. This study tested the hypothesis that a novel approach to combating bacterial biofilms, based on phages armed with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), would exhibit enhanced activity over an extended period after application. In this work, we investigated the potential of engineered T7 phages armed with AgNPs for eradicating Escherichia coli biofilm. We demonstrated that such biomaterial exhibits sustained antimicrobial activity even after prolonged exposure. Compared to phages alone or AgNPs alone, the biomaterial significantly enhances biofilm eradication, particularly after 48 hours of treatment. These findings highlight the potential of synergistic phage-nanoparticle strategies for combatting biofilm-associated infections. Keywords: bacteriophage T7, Escherichia coli, biofilm, silver nanoparticles