Lipid membrane interactions of virus-like mesoporous silica loaded with photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles

TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) offer interesting possibilities in the context of antibiotic resistance and bacteria killing, as they are strongly antimicrobial by UV irradiation due to the generation of highly reactive oxygen species that attack the bacterial membrane. They can be loaded into mesoporous silica NPs, versatile carriers with mesopores that allow precise cargo loading and release. Here, we propose to study by neutron reflectometry the mutual structural and photooxidative effects of TiO2-loaded silica NPs, in the absence or presence of UV exposure, using anionic lipid bilayers as bacterial membrane models. We will also explore different morphologies by comparing smooth vs virus-like silica NPs, whose spikey nanotubes induce a direct mechanical action on membranes, providing novel insight into the interplay between NP topology and oxidative stress for membrane destabilization.