The discovery of mechano-bactericidal surfaces

Denver P. Linklater; Elena P. Ivanova

doi:10.1071/MA25020

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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The discovery of mechano-bactericidal surfaces

Denver P. Linklater ^A and Elena P. Ivanova ^B ^C ^*

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Ian Holmes Imaging Centre, Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.

^B School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Vic. 3000, Australia.

^C ARC Hub for Australian Steel Manufacturing, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia.

Dr Denver Linklater is a research fellow at the Ian Holmes Imaging Centre, The University of Melbourne. She is an expert in electron microscopy. Her research interests are in the design and synthesis of nanomaterials for novel anti-microbial technologies, stem cell culture and tissue re-generation.

Elena Ivanova is a distinguished professor of RMIT University. Her research interests are in design and fabrication of biomimetic antimicrobial micro- and nano-structured surfaces, materials biointerfaces and immobilisation of biomolecules and microorganisms in micro- and nano-environments.

^* Correspondence to: elena.ivanova@rmit.edu.au

Microbiology Australia https://doi.org/10.1071/MA25020

Submitted: 3 April 2025 Accepted: 3 May 2025 Published: 26 May 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the ASM. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY).

Abstract

There is a long evolutionary history of bacteria adapting to surface colonisation and biofilm formation and a similar timeline of evolutionary advances for insects to develop resistance towards bacterial colonisation and biofilm formation. Many nanostructured surfaces are superhydrophobic, meaning they repel water and therefore other contaminants. A decade ago, we discovered that the superhydrophobic nanopillared surfaces of insect wings (e.g. cicadas, dragonflies and damselflies) kill bacteria through physical disintegration rather than repelling their attachment. It is now well documented that the biomimetic nanostructures, such as pillars and spikes, can physically damage bacterial cells, leading to cell lysis and death. Research involving replication of these nanostructures on biomaterials and implantable devices could eliminate the need for antibiotics to kill bacteria on such surfaces, offering a promising alternative for preventing infections.

Keywords: antibiotics, bactericidal surfaces, biofilm prevention, biomimetic nano-structured surfaces, cicada and dragonflies wings, physical rupturing of bacterial cells, post-antibiotic era, synthetic analogues of mechano-bactericidal surfaces.

Biographies

Dr Denver Linklater is a research fellow at the Ian Holmes Imaging Centre, The University of Melbourne. She is an expert in electron microscopy. Her research interests are in the design and synthesis of nanomaterials for novel anti-microbial technologies, stem cell culture and tissue re-generation.

Elena Ivanova is a distinguished professor of RMIT University. Her research interests are in design and fabrication of biomimetic antimicrobial micro- and nano-structured surfaces, materials biointerfaces and immobilisation of biomolecules and microorganisms in micro- and nano-environments.

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