We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Metabolomic insights into the synergistic effects of nanoplastics and freeze-thaw cycles on Secale cereale L. seedling physiology
Summary
Researchers exposed rye seedlings simultaneously to polystyrene nanoplastics and simulated freeze-thaw cycles, finding that the combination amplified oxidative stress, inhibited photosynthesis, and disrupted core metabolic pathways — including the TCA cycle and lipid metabolism — more severely than either stressor alone.
Environmental stressors, such as nanoplastics (NPs) and freeze-thaw cycles (FTC), are increasingly prevalent, posing significant risks to plant health and agricultural productivity. NPs, being persistent and ubiquitous, can disrupt plant physiological processes, while FTC, common in temperate climates, exacerbates the oxidative damage caused by NPs, leading to further impairment of plant cellular structures. This study investigates the combined effects of these stressors on rye seedlings, exposing them to 100 mg/L polystyrene NPs and simulating early winter conditions with temperature fluctuations between 5°C and -5°C. FTC exposure exacerbated oxidative stress, as indicated by increased hydrogen peroxide (HO) accumulation and elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, suggesting severe oxidative damage. Photosynthesis was significantly inhibited, as evidenced by reduced chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate (Pn), accompanied by heightened membrane lipid peroxidation, indicating aggravated cellular membrane damage under combined stress conditions. Additionally, metabolomic analysis revealed significant alterations in key metabolic pathways, including the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis, and lipid metabolism, which were notably influenced by the combined stressors. The activation of the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle suggests a protective adaptive response to mitigate oxidative stress. These findings highlight that the interaction between NPs and abiotic stressors, such as FTC, profoundly alters plant physiological and metabolic responses, ultimately compromising plant growth and resilience. This study underscores the necessity of integrated environmental assessments that consider the synergistic effects of multiple stress factors. Such assessments are essential for developing strategies to enhance plant tolerance to escalating environmental pollutants and climate-induced stressors.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Integrated multi-omics reveals rye seedling responses to nanoplastic and freeze-thaw stress
Researchers used an integrated multi-omics approach to study how rye seedlings respond to the combined stress of polystyrene nanoplastics and freeze-thaw cycles. The study found that the combination produced the strongest physiological stress responses, including elevated oxidative damage markers and significant shifts in root microbial communities, with transcriptomic analysis revealing over 6,000 differentially expressed genes related to oxidative stress and energy metabolism.
The freeze-thaw cycle exacerbates the ecotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to Secale cereale L. seedlings
Researchers exposed rye seedlings to polystyrene nanoplastics followed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles (simulating cold climate conditions), finding that temperature cycling significantly increased nanoplastic accumulation within plant tissues, damaged chloroplasts, inhibited photosynthesis, and amplified oxidative stress beyond the effects of nanoplastics or freeze-thaw stress alone.
Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Tributyl Phosphate to Rye under Freeze–Thaw Cycles: Implications for Crop Safety and Mechanistic Insights from Transcriptome and Root Microbiome
Researchers exposed rye to combined polystyrene nanoplastics and the plasticizer tributyl phosphate under simulated freeze-thaw cycles, finding that cold cycling intensifies oxidative stress and photosynthesis suppression by promoting physicochemical complex formation between pollutants, restructuring root endophytic microbiomes, and activating jasmonic acid and abscisic acid defense signaling pathways.
Freeze–Thaw Cycles Accelerate Plastic Pollution Invasion in Agriculture: Trojan Horse Effect of Microplastic–Plasticizer Contamination Revealed in Rye via Computational Chemistry and Multiomics
Researchers found that climate change-related freeze-thaw cycles significantly worsen the combined toxicity of the plasticizer DEP and microplastics in rye plants. Freeze-thaw conditions increased microplastic uptake into plants by altering particle surface charge, while DEP bound to key plant proteins and inhibited photosynthesis. The study reveals that microplastics simultaneously acted as carriers for the plasticizer while reshaping root microbiomes to favor pollutant-degrading bacteria.
Freeze–ThawCycles Accelerate Plastic PollutionInvasion in Agriculture: Trojan Horse Effect of Microplastic–PlasticizerContamination Revealed in Rye via Computational Chemistry and Multiomics
Using hydroponic rye as a model, researchers showed that freeze-thaw cycles dramatically increased diethyl phthalate uptake into plants in the presence of microplastics, with the plasticizer boosting microplastic surface charge and facilitating plant entry. Transcriptomic and computational analyses revealed disruption of gene networks governing growth and stress response.