RT Journal Article T1 Dendrimer mediated clustering of bacteria: improved aggregation and evaluation of bacterial response and viability A1 Leire, Emma A1 Amaral, Sandra P. A1 Louzao Pernas, Iria A1 Winzer, Klaus A1 Alexander, Cameron A1 Fernández Megía, Eduardo A1 Fernández Trillo, Francisco AB Here, we evaluate how cationic gallic acid-triethylene glycol (GATG) dendrimers interact with bacteria and their potential to develop new antimicrobials. We demonstrate that GATG dendrimers functionalised with primary amines in their periphery can induce the formation of clusters in Vibrio harveyi, an opportunistic marine pathogen, in a generation dependent manner. Moreover, these cationic GATG dendrimers demonstrate an improved ability to induce cluster formation when compared to poly(N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide) [p(DMAPMAm)], a cationic linear polymer previously shown to cluster bacteria. Viability of the bacteria within the formed clusters and evaluation of quorum sensing controlled phenotypes (i.e. light production in V. harveyi) suggest that GATG dendrimers may be activating microbial responses by maintaining a high concentration of quorum sensing signals inside the clusters while increasing permeability of the microbial outer membranes. Thus, the reported GATG dendrimers constitute a valuable platform for the development of novel antimicrobial materials that can target microbial viability and/or virulence PB Royal Society of Chemistry YR 2016 FD 2016 LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/16977 UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/16977 LA eng NO Leire, E., Amaral, S., Louzao, I., Winzer, K., Alexander, C., Fernandez-Megia, E., & Fernandez-Trillo, F. (2016). Dendrimer mediated clustering of bacteria: improved aggregation and evaluation of bacterial response and viability. Biomaterials Science, 4(6), 998-1006. doi: 10.1039/c6bm00079g NO This work was financially supported by the Spanish Government(CTQ2012-34790) and the Xunta de Galicia(GRC2014/040). E.L. thanks the European Commission, Education,Audiovisual and Cultural Executive Agency (EACEA) for anErasmus Mundus grant under the NanoFar Joint Doctoral Program.F. F-T. thanks the University of Birmingham for the JohnEvans Fellowship. C. A. thanks the Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council for a Leadership Fellowship(EP/H005625/1) and the research grant EP/G042462/1. I. L.has been supported by the EPSRC grant EP/K005138/11 DS Minerva RD 28 abr 2026