States of biological components in bacteria and bacteriophages during inactivation by atmospheric dielectric barrier discharges

Abstract

Atmospheric DBD has been applied to the wet state of Escherichia coli and bacteriophage-λ. Upon DBD treatment, both Exoli and λphage were immediately inactivated. The states of different biological components were monitored during the course of inactivation. Only minor and slow degradation of proteins, DNA, and membranes was observed, a remarkable degradation was seen only after the completion of sterilization. Analysis of GFP recombinantly introduced into E.coli cells proved that the DBD has a prominent protein denaturation activity without affecting peptide bonds. The irreversible denaturation of proteins, seen in the early stage of DBD application, may play a central role in inactivation of both the bacteria and bacteriophages. A graph is presented. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.