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Soil-derived protein corona modulates the behavior and biological effects of nanoplastics in rice
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When tiny plastic particles coated with soil proteins were tested on rice plants, they affected growth differently than uncoated plastic particles. One type of coated plastic reduced root length, leaf length, and total plant weight, and changed the activity of genes involved in stress response and growth.
Nanoplastics are emerging contaminants widely distributed in terrestrial environments. Upon entering soil, their surfaces can adsorb soil-derived proteins to form protein coronas, potentially altering their environmental behavior and biological effects. In this study, amino- and carboxyl-modified polystyrene nanoplastics (PSN and PSC) were incubated with soil-extracted proteins to construct protein coronas, and their uptake, distribution, and phytotoxicity were evaluated in rice. Under controlled exposure conditions, corona-coated nanoplastics exhibited distinct growth inhibition patterns compared with pristine nanoplastics. After exposure, PSC with protein corona (PSC-PC) exhibited the strongest toxicity, reducing root length, leaf length, and total fresh weight by 18.50%, 23.73%, and 11.95%, respectively. Protein corona formation modulated nanoplastic-induced oxidative stress responses. Transcriptomic analysis identified differential expression and enrichment of genes associated with PRR/LRR-RLK-related perception, Ca2+- and MAPK-related signaling, and stress- and hormone-responsive transcriptional programs. Distinct surface functional groups induced divergent molecular responses. PSN-PC was associated with defense- and stress-related transcriptional responses and downregulation of genes involved in energy metabolism, whereas PSC-PC was associated with more pronounced alterations in growth-related processes. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that soil-derived protein coronas can modify nanoplastic behavior during plant uptake and alter their phytotoxic effects, highlighting the importance of considering protein corona formation in environmental risk assessments of nanoplastics.
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This study examined how nanoplastics affect rice plant growth, finding that the tiny particles were absorbed by roots and entered plant cells. Nanoplastic exposure reduced important enzyme activity and protein levels in roots, disrupting normal plant metabolism. The presence of iron plaque and humic acid in the soil changed how much nanoplastic the plants took up, suggesting that real-world soil conditions play a key role in how crops are affected.
The development of eco-coronas on agricultural nanomaterials reduces their harmful impact: a review
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This review examines how 'eco-coronas' — layers of soil biomolecules that form on agricultural nanomaterials including microplastics — affect the toxicity of those particles to crops and soil organisms. The eco-corona can reduce or modify the harmful impacts of nanomaterials by changing their surface chemistry. Understanding how eco-coronas develop on microplastics in soil helps predict their real-world environmental behavior, which may differ from laboratory studies using clean particles.
Nano-plastic contamination in soil: impacts on rhizosphere volatile organic compound (VOC) signaling and rice disease susceptibility—a comprehensive review
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Tiny plastic particles from everyday products are contaminating farm soil and making rice plants more vulnerable to fungal diseases by interfering with the natural chemical signals plants use to fight off infections. This matters because it could reduce crop yields and potentially allow more pesticides to be used, while these same plastic particles can eventually end up in our food and water. This review suggests that plastic pollution in soil is a bigger problem for farming than scientists previously realized.
From Root Exudates to Eco-Corona: Mechanisms Shaping Nanoplastic Fate and Plant–Soil Interactions
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Response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots to nanoplastic treatment at seedling stage
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Researchers exposed rice seedlings to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles were taken up by the roots, aided by water-transporting proteins in the plant. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress, reduced root length, and disrupted carbon metabolism and hormone production in the seedlings. The study raises concerns that nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils could affect crop growth and potentially enter the human food supply through rice consumption.
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