IPC PAS Articles

Displaying 1 - 5 of 264 records

Salts of Antifolate Pyrimethamine with Isomeric Aminobenzoic Acids: Exploring Packing Interactions and Pre-Crystallization Aggregation
(MDPI, 2026) Cichocka, Karolina; Zimnicka, Magdalena; Kędra, Karolina; Gajek, Arkadiusz; Ceborska, Magdalena; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University; Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences
Pyrimethamine (PYR), a drug approved for the treatment of infections caused by protozoan parasites, is a multifunctional API based on 2,4-diaminopyrimidine scaffold. The present study aims toward the development of novel solid forms of PYR, by combining it with three isomeric aminobenzoic acids—2-aminobenzoic acid (2NH2-BA), 3-aminobenzoic acid (3NH2-BA), and 4-aminobenzoic acid (4NH2-BA). Solution crystallization led to the formation of three new solvated salts of PYR (PYR/2NH2-BA/EtOH/H2O, PYR/3NH2-BA/EtOH, and PYR/4NH2-BA/EtOH/H2O). The detailed physicochemical properties of the formed compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), FTIR, PXRD, thermogravimetry (TG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Additionally, the pre-crystallization solutions of PYR with 2NH2-BA, 3NH2-BA, and 4NH2-BA were studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry technique (ESI-MS), which enabled the observation of peaks corresponding to noncovalently bonded molecules, providing insight into their specific aggregation in a solution/gas phase environment. We identified different non-covalent aggregates, including self-aggregates of aminobenzoic acids and PYR/aminobenzoic acid associates of different stoichiometries.
Array-based polymer-phage biosensors for detection and differentiation of bacteria
(RSC, 2025-07-02) Ochirbat, Enkhlin; Yang, Junwhee; Chattopadhyay, Aritra Nath; Park, Jungmi; Jiang, Mingdi; Paczesny, Jan; Rotello, Vincent M.; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences; Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
Pathogenic bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), pose significant challenges to public health due to their resistance to conventional antibiotics. Early and accurate identification of bacterial species and discrimination of their strains is critical for guiding effective treatments and infection control. In this study, we develop a polymer-phage sensor platform that integrates polymer-based fluorescence sensing with phage-host specificity for bacterial identification. The sensor successfully differentiates three bacterial species (S. aureus, E. coli, and B. subtilis) and closely related strains of S. aureus (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and MRSA) with high classification accuracy (94–100%) and correct unknown identification rates (94–100%) under optimized conditions. By leveraging phage-host interactions and polymer binding properties, the polymer-phage sensor overcomes the limitations of traditional “lock-and-key” biosensors, offering enhanced specificity and reliability. This platform's rapid response time and adaptability make it a promising tool for clinical diagnostics and public health applications, particularly in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Microplastics of Broad Size Range Reduce Bacteriophage Activity in Aqueous Environments
(ACS Publications, 2025-06-09) Ochirbat, Enkhlin; Zbonikowski, Rafał; Folga, Michał; Magdalena Bonarowska; Paczesny, Jan; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences
Microplastics, pervasive environmental contaminants, attract significant attention due to their detrimental effects across ecosystems. Reports show the presence of microplastics in water, soil, aqueous organisms, and even human tissues and blood. This study investigates the impact of microplastics on bacteriophages, i.e., viruses that play crucial roles in regulating microbial communities and maintaining ecological balance. Since bacteriophages lyse up to 40% of bacterial populations daily, their role in environmental stability is paramount. We demonstrate that microplastics can reduce the apparent number of active bacteria in aquatic environments. To explore the interaction between microplastics and bacteriophages, we examine the effects of various microplastic types (polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride), polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate) and size ranges of particles on phages of varying morphologies (tailed T4, filamentous M13, and icosahedral MS2). Additionally, we assess the influence of bacterial debris, representing organic matter, on the heteroaggregation of microplastic particles and phages. Our findings reveal a significant decline of up to 99.99% in active phages, underscoring the profound effects of microplastics on phage dynamics. These results provide critical insights into the complex interactions between microplastics and phages, highlighting the need for urgent action to address microplastic pollution
Engineering hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions for selective inactivation of bacteriophages by mixed-ligand nanoparticles
(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2025-04-24) Paczesny, Jan; Raza, Sada; Mente, Pumza; Kamiński, Bartosz; Bończak, Bartłomiej; Vignesh, Visesh; Maleki-Ghaleh, Hossein; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences; Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Bioengineering and Biomedical Technologies (CBio), University of Bath, UK
Bacteriophage contamination poses significant challenges in bacteria-based industries, disrupting processes that rely on bacterial metabolism, such as insulin production using Escherichia coli. This study introduces mixed-ligand nanoparticles (MLNPs) as a novel solution for selective phage inactivation while preserving bacterial viability. By controlling the ratios of positively charged ((11-Mercaptoundecyl)-N,N,N-trimethylammonium cation, TMA), negatively charged (mercaptoundecanate anion, MUA), and hydrophobic (dodecane-1-thiol, DDT) ligands, MLNPs leverage tailored multivalent interactions to disrupt bacteriophage functions. The optimum MLNP formulation (60 : 20 : 18 ratio of TMA : MUA : DDT) achieved complete phage inactivation (7 log reduction) within 9 hours at 25 °C, a significant improvement over traditional methods that require harsh conditions, elevated temperatures, and/or extended durations. Our results demonstrate that hydrophobic ligands enhance phage inactivation while maintaining bacterial viability, with survival rates exceeding 90%. The MLNPs were tested against diverse bacteriophages, including MS2, M13, Qβ, LR1_PA01, and vB_SauS_CS1, achieving broad-spectrum efficacy without significant harm to host bacteria. Furthermore, cytotoxicity tests on mammalian 3T3 NIH fibroblast cells confirmed the high biocompatibility of MLNPs, with cell viability exceeding 90% at effective concentrations. This study highlights the potential of MLNPs as a selective and cost-effective tool for managing bacteriophage contamination, offering advantages for industrial and medical applications by ensuring bacterial productivity while mitigating phage-induced disruptions.
Targeted inactivation of bacteriophages by polypyrrole nanoparticles
(Elsevier, 2025-11-29) Paczesny, Jan; Raza, Sada; Korol, Dominik; Ochirbat, Enkhlin; Kamiński, Bartosz; Sharma, Piyush Sindhu; Cieplak, Maciej; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences
Bacteriophage contamination is a persistent issue in various industrial and medical settings, requiring effective yet selective inactivation strategies. The source of phages may be antibiotics, other additives, or raw substrates. There are no effective methods to protect bacterial cultures against such events. This study proposes polypyrrole nanoparticles functionalized with 1 % carboxyl groups (P(Py:PyCOOH) 100:1 NPs) as a targeted solution for phage inactivation. The P(Py:PyCOOH) 100:1 nanoparticles exhibit selective antiviral properties, with above 95 % inactivation of T4, MS2, and vB_SauS_CS1 phages, while maintaining less than 5 % inactivation of their corresponding bacterial hosts (E. coli and S. aureus). TEM imaging reveals no significant morphological changes in the phages post-treatment, suggesting that inactivation occurs through blocking active sites rather than structural damage. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrate > 90 % viability of 3 T3 NIH fibroblast cells upon exposure to P(Py:PyCOOH) 100:1 nanoparticles, confirming their biocompatibility and safety for potential biomedical applications. Because some phages serve as surrogates for pathogenic viruses, the presented results are the next step towards selective and safe antivirals acting directly on virions.

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