| abstract |
Functionalized phages having customized host specificity and unique plasmonic properties. The phages are modified to target selected bacterial types, such as antibiotic resistant bacteria. The phages are functionalized with plasmonic nanoparticles, such as gold or silver nanorods, wherein the aggregation of these functionalized phages results in useful plasmonic resonance emissions that can be exploited for therapeutic, clinical, research, and analytical uses. In cell killing applications, excitation of phages adsorbed on target bacteria results in plasmonic resonance-mediated localized thermal effects, killing the target bacteria to which the phage are targeted and adsorbed, while sparing the surrounding host cells. This also destroys the phage, obviating potential complications from escaped phage. In detection applications, excitation of the functionalized phages results in plasmonic responses that strongly affect optical emissions. Functionalized phages selectively aggregate on target bacterial cells are excited, creating plasmonic resonance that enables detection and quantification. |