Chemical fingerprint of bacteriophages by infrared nano-spectroscopy.

Cao, Y; Khanal, D; Cernescu, A; Chan, HK

Chemical fingerprint of bacteriophages by infrared nano-spectroscopy.

Cao, Y Khanal, D

Cernescu, A Chan, HK

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Anal Chim Acta, 2025, 1355, pp. 344026
Issue Date:: 2025-06-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Cao, Y
dc.contributor.author	Khanal, D https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6846-2373
dc.contributor.author	Cernescu, A
dc.contributor.author	Chan, HK
dc.date.accessioned	2026-07-20T05:54:18Z
dc.date.available	2025-04-04
dc.date.available	2026-07-20T05:54:18Z
dc.date.issued	2025-06-15
dc.identifier.citation	Anal Chim Acta, 2025, 1355, pp. 344026
dc.identifier.issn	0003-2670
dc.identifier.issn	1873-4324
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195716
dc.description.abstract	Bacteriophage (phages) are naturally occurring nanoscale antimicrobial agents that can self-replicate at infection sites and selectively eliminate pathogenic bacteria. Significant heterogeneity exists in phage properties such as morphology, protein and nucleic acid composition, subject to the strain, state, and environment of the phage source. However, current techniques fall short in accurately mapping the chemical compositions of individual phages. A thorough understanding of this heterogeneity is essential to elucidate the difference between phage types and their stability, which may impact phages as effective therapeutic agents. We propose using scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) as an innovative method to map the chemical composition of phages at the nanoscale. The strength of this method lies in its label-free, ultra-high sensitivity that measures individual phage chemical heterogeneity. Additionally, s-SNOM is ideal for thermally sensitive phages, as it detects light scattered by nanoscale specimens without relying on thermal expansion. New insights from this method into phage chemical composition will profoundly impact our understanding of phage biology and optimise phage formulation for therapeutic use.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER
dc.relation.ispartof	Anal Chim Acta
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.aca.2025.344026
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0301 Analytical Chemistry, 0399 Other Chemical Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Analytical Chemistry
dc.subject.classification	3401 Analytical chemistry
dc.subject.classification	4004 Chemical engineering
dc.subject.classification	4018 Nanotechnology
dc.subject.mesh	Bacteriophages
dc.subject.mesh	Nanotechnology
dc.subject.mesh	Spectrophotometry, Infrared
dc.subject.mesh	Bacteriophages
dc.subject.mesh	Spectrophotometry, Infrared
dc.subject.mesh	Nanotechnology
dc.subject.mesh	Bacteriophages
dc.subject.mesh	Nanotechnology
dc.subject.mesh	Spectrophotometry, Infrared
dc.title	Chemical fingerprint of bacteriophages by infrared nano-spectroscopy.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1355
utslib.location.activity	Netherlands
utslib.for	0301 Analytical Chemistry
utslib.for	0399 Other Chemical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/School of Clinical and Health Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-07-20T05:54:17Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	1355

Abstract:

Bacteriophage (phages) are naturally occurring nanoscale antimicrobial agents that can self-replicate at infection sites and selectively eliminate pathogenic bacteria. Significant heterogeneity exists in phage properties such as morphology, protein and nucleic acid composition, subject to the strain, state, and environment of the phage source. However, current techniques fall short in accurately mapping the chemical compositions of individual phages. A thorough understanding of this heterogeneity is essential to elucidate the difference between phage types and their stability, which may impact phages as effective therapeutic agents. We propose using scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) as an innovative method to map the chemical composition of phages at the nanoscale. The strength of this method lies in its label-free, ultra-high sensitivity that measures individual phage chemical heterogeneity. Additionally, s-SNOM is ideal for thermally sensitive phages, as it detects light scattered by nanoscale specimens without relying on thermal expansion. New insights from this method into phage chemical composition will profoundly impact our understanding of phage biology and optimise phage formulation for therapeutic use.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195716