Nanotoxicological effects and transcriptome mechanisms of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under stress of polystyrene nanoplastics

Jiapan Lian; Weitao Liu; Yuebing Sun; Shuzhen Men; Jiani Wu; Aurang Zeb; Tianzhi Yang; Lena Qiying Ma; Qixing Zhou

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127241

Nanotoxicological effects and transcriptome mechanisms of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under stress of polystyrene nanoplastics

J Hazard Mater. 2022 Feb 5;423(Pt B):127241. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127241. Epub 2021 Sep 17.

Authors

Jiapan Lian¹, Weitao Liu², Yuebing Sun³, Shuzhen Men⁴, Jiani Wu⁵, Aurang Zeb⁵, Tianzhi Yang⁵, Lena Qiying Ma⁶, Qixing Zhou⁷

Affiliations

¹ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental Sciences and Resources, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
² Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China. Electronic address: lwt@nankai.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory of Original Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China.
⁴ Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
⁵ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
⁶ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental Sciences and Resources, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
⁷ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China. Electronic address: Zhouqx@nankai.edu.cn.

PMID: 34844359
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127241

Abstract

At present, the uptake and accumulation of nanoplastics by plants have raised particular concerns. However, molecular mechanisms underlying nanoplastic phytotoxicity are still vague and insufficient. To address this scientific gap, we analyzed the transcriptome response of hydroponically grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) (100 nm) by integrating the differentially expressed gene analysis (DEGA) and the weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA). PSNPs could significantly shape the gene expression patterns of wheat in a tissue-specific manner. Four candidate modules and corresponding hub genes associated with plant traits were identified using WGCNA. PSNPs significantly altered carbon metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway-plant, plant hormone signal transduction, and plant-pathogen interaction Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. In addition, some Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with the metal ion transport were further screened. These findings shed new light on the phytotoxic mechanism and environmental implication behind the interaction of nanoplastics and crop plants, and advance our understanding of the potential adverse effect induced by the presence of nanoplastics in agricultural systems.

Keywords: Interaction; Molecular mechanism; Nanoplastic; Phytotoxicity; Transcriptomics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Gene Expression Profiling
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Genes, Plant
Microplastics*
Polystyrenes / toxicity
Transcriptome
Triticum* / genetics

Substances

Microplastics
Polystyrenes