Fig. 5
From: Distinct lipid membrane interaction and uptake of differentially charged nanoplastics in bacteria
Impact of PS-NH2 on bacteria was alleviated by coating with a lipid layer. a Schematic diagram of the preparation of lipid-coated bacteria (LCB) by biointerfacial supramolecular self-assembly. The bacteria cells were wrapped up with lipid layers. b TEM images of the lipid-coated bacteria incubated with or without the PS-NH2 (100 µg/ml) for 3 h. TEM images of uncoated bacteria were used as the controls. Nanoplastics and membrane coat was indicated by the green arrow and red arrow, respectively. c, d Intracellular ROS level detected by green fluorescence signals in bacteria exposed to non-treatment (control), PS-NH2 (100 µg/ml), and PS-NH2 coated with lipids for 3 h, respectively. LCB + PS-NH2, LCB treated with PS-NH2 for 3 h. The nanoparticles and bacteria were incubated with or without a lipid mixture containing phospholipids and fatty acids. e Survive fractions of different bacteria exposed to PS-NH2 (100 µg/ml) or PS-NH2 coated with lipids, and survive fractions of respective LCB exposed to PS-NH2 for 3 h. The error bars represent the standard deviations from five-independent statistics; *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.005, significant difference (student’s t-test). LCB + PS-NH2, lipid coated bacteria (LCB) treated with PS-NH2 for 3 h. EC, E. coli; BS, B. subtilis; DR, D. radiodurans