Graphene oxide affects bacteriophage infection of bacteria by promoting the formation of biofilms

Graphene oxide (GO) is increasingly used in a range of fields, such as electronics, biosensors, drug delivery, and water treatment, and the likelihood of its release into the environment is increasing correspondingly. GO is involved in the formation of biofilms and leads bacteria to over proliferate, but the effects of GO on bacteriophage infection remain unexplored. We noted bacterial overgrowth in experiments when GO was used to treat the bacterial culture medium, leading us to question whether bacterial proliferation caused by GO affects phage infection of target bacteria. Treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa with GO ata low dosage (0.02 mg/mL) led to biofilm expansion in LB medium. Biofilm forma-tion in the presence of GO affected the ability of bacteriophages to kill bacteria and reproduce. Similarly, the presence of GO deposits increased the ratio of bacteria to phage, providing a favorable environment for bacterial growth. Addi-tionally, increasing the positive electrical charge in the culture environment inhibited the rejection of bacteriophages by negatively charged GO, improving phage reproduction. Finally, adding GO to sewage in imitation field experiments significantly increased the bacterial diversity and richness in the sewage, stimulating a significant increase in the variety and number of bacteria. Collectively, these results indicate that GO hinders phage infection by providing a bac-terial refuge. The results of this study provide valuable insights into how GO interacts with bacteriophages to explore the effects on bacterial growth.

Automated summary

Graphene oxide (GO) is widely used in various fields and its release into the environment is increasing. It has been found that GO leads to bacterial overgrowth and affects bacteriophage infection. The presence of GO expands biofilms and hinders the ability of bacteriophages to kill bacteria and reproduce. Additionally, adding GO to sewage increases bacterial diversity and richness.