DNA-Templated Silver Nanoclusters Demonstrate Potent Antimicrobial Activity Against the Clinically Relevant Pathogens, <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> and <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>

Antimicrobial resistance is growing among the causative agents of bacterial meningitis, <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> and <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae,</i> which trigger detrimental neuroinflammatory responses within the central nervous system. Here, we evaluated the antimicrobial potential of DNA-templated and stabilized silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). AgNCs were templated on a single hairpin (HP) or fibrous hairpin structures (HP-F). HP-F provided higher local concentrations of AgNCs, when compared to HP, and exhibited stable physicochemical properties and potent antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, at low silver concentrations, AgNCs restricted bacterial survival and reduced inflammatory responses in microglia without causing cytotoxicity, supporting further development of AgNCs as therapeutics for meningitis.