The Bio-preparation of CuO@ZnO Nanocomposite via Spent Mushroom Substrate and its Application against Candida albicans with Molecular Docking Study

Abstract

Green routes for the bio-designing of bicomponent nanocomposites and their utilizations have attracted many investigators. Bio-designing of CuO@ZnO nanocomposites was performed using spent mushroom substrate (SMS). Ultraviolet-spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), besides X-ray diffraction (XRD) were exploited to characterize the synthesized CuO@ZnO. The dimensions of CuO@ZnO nanocomposites ranged from 31.4 and 95.9 nm. Both FT-IR and EDX analyses displayed the presence of some organic constituents from the SMS that joined to the surface of the fabricated CuO@ZnO nanocomposite. CuO@ZnO nanocomposite succeeded in inhibiting Candida albicans with an inhibition zone of 33.5 ± 2 mm. C. albicans biofilm was affected by CuO@ZnO nanocomposite with biofilm inhibition of 25.08, 68.70, and 88.56% at 25, 50, and 75% of minimum inhibitory concentration, respectively. Molecular docking studies showed substantial binding affinities, as well as common hydrogen bonds. Optimum binding sites for CuO and ZnO nanoparticles were found to have binding affinities of interactions with 4YDE, 3DRA, and 1EAG proteins of C. albicans, resulting in, respectively, -2.7942, -3.30097, and -2.52129 kcal/mol, and -3.78244, -4.6029, and -4.1352 kcal/mol values. The findings suggest that CuO@ZnO nanocomposite can effectively suppress C. albicans growth.