Researchers examine how graphene oxide selectively kills bacteria while remaining biocompatible

GO has long been studied as a promising biomedical material thanks to its biocompatibility and excellent antibacterial performance, but the origin of these apparently conflicting behaviors has remained controversial. The new work shows that the key lies in the controlled physicochemical and biomimetic features of GO: abundant oxygen functional groups on the GO basal surface drive highly specific interactions with a bacterial‑signature phospholipid, palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG), while sparing mammalian cell membranes.

A research team led by KAIST (The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) has unveiled a molecular-level mechanism that explains how graphene oxide (GO) can be both strongly antibacterial and yet biocompatible, paving the way for next‑generation hygienic materials that could reduce reliance on conventional antibiotics.GO has long been studied as a promising biomedical material thanks to its biocompatibility and excellent antibacterial performance, but the origin of these apparently conflicting behaviors has remained controversial. The new work shows that the key lies in the controlled physicochemical and biomimetic features of GO: abundant oxygen functional groups on the GO basal surface drive highly specific interactions with a bacterial‑signature phospholipid, palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG), while sparing mammalian cell membranes.

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