Respiration electron of pathogenic bacteria activated ZnO@Viologen-COF heterojunction to boost piezo-phototronic effect for microbiota regulation.

Microbiota dysbiosis is a key factor in the development of severe diseases, but its precise regulation remains a challenge. Herein, this study presents a pathogen-responsive piezoelectric heterojunction ZnO@Viologen-covalent organic frameworks (COF) (ZVP) that enables selective modulation of skin microbiota based on bacterial redox characteristics. The ZVP undergoes a structural transformation from ZVP to Re-ZVP, triggered by the respiration activity of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), which enhances its piezo-phototronic properties, while remaining unreactive to commensal bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis). This transformation induces a surface charge imbalance in ZVP, thereby boosting the piezo-phototronic effect with a piezoelectric coefficient (d33) surge from 41 to 171 pm V-1. Concurrently, Re-ZVP exhibits a 166% increase in a higher rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation than ZVP under the synergy of light and ultrasound. This amplified ROS production selectively disrupts C. acnes metabolism without compromising beneficial microbes. In an acne model in mice induced by C. acnes, ZVP demonstrates potent in vivo antibacterial activity against C. acnes and effectively attenuates pathogen-driven inflammation induced by C. acnes. By leveraging bacterial redox heterogeneity, this study pioneers a smart microbial regulation strategy through pathogen-activated piezo-photocatalysis, offering a novel means for targeted microbiota modulation.