Quaternized carbon quantum dots with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity for treatment of wounds infected with mixed bacteria

Abstract Quaternized carbon quantum dots (qCQDs) with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity were synthesized by a simple green “one-pot” method using dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride and glucose as reaction precursors. The qCQDs showed satisfactory antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In rat models of wounds infected with mixed bacteria, qCQDs obviously restored the weight of rats, significantly reduced the death of rats from severe infection, and promoted the recovery and healing of infected wounds. Biosafety tests confirmed that qCQDs had no obvious toxic and side effects during the testing stage. The analysis of quantitative proteomics revealed that qCQDs mainly acted on the ribosomal proteins of gram-positive bacteria and significantly down-regulated the metabolization-related proteins of gram-negative bacteria. Real-time quantitative PCR verified the expression levels of genes corresponding to the proteins with significant differences expressed by the two species of bacteria after treated with qCQDs. The variation trend of the detected genes was consistent with the results of proteomics, meaning that qCQDs played the antibacterial effect on bacteria with a new antibacterial mechanism.