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Cell Cycle Control of Nanoplastics Internalization in Phytoplankton
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This study found that tiny nanoplastic particles are taken up by cells at different rates depending on the cell's growth stage, with cells in the dividing phase absorbing the most. This matters for human health because it suggests that actively growing tissues may be more vulnerable to nanoplastic accumulation.
Nanoparticles (NPs) for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs are now in clinical trials, and cellular uptake of NPs plays an important role in determining the drug delivery efficiency. Herein, we reported that the bioaccumulation and internalization of NPs were governed by the cell cycle. Specifically, we found that the bioaccumulation of NPs was more favored in the G2/M stages, followed by the S and G0/G1 stages. We demonstrated that three key parameters-clathrin-mediated endocytosis capacity, algal cell membrane permeability, and exopolymer substance (EPS) thickness-were critical in the bioaccumulation of NPs during the cell cycling process. Over the 24-h average duration of cell cycle, clathrin-mediated endocytosis capacity was much higher at the S stage than that at the G0/G1 and G2/M stages. Besides, cell membrane permeability was measured to be higher in S and G2/M stages while the lowest in G0/G1 stage. We have also identified the change of EPS thickness during the 24-h cell cycle. Transition from G0/G1 to S and G2/M induced the attenuation in EPS thickness, and the thinnest EPS was found at the end of mitosis. The cell cycle control NPs internalization were further verified by exposing Ag nanoparticles to algae at different cell cycle stages, confirming the important roles of EPS thickness and cell cycle control in the dynamic internalization processes. The present study highlights the important roles of cell cycle controlling the NPs bioaccumulation and internalization, with possible implications in maximizing NPs internalization efficiency while reducing the cost.
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Researchers investigated how the growth phase of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila affects the bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics, finding that exponential-phase cells accumulated significantly more nanoplastics than stationary-phase cells. The results suggest that organism growth state is an important but often overlooked factor in nanoplastic bioaccumulation studies.
Uptake and Effects of Nanoplastics on the Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium corollarium
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This study exposed the marine dinoflagellate Gymnodinium corollarium to nanoplastics and found that, although the organism can ingest particles via phagotrophy, nanoplastic uptake disrupted cell growth and photosynthesis, highlighting the vulnerability of unicellular marine organisms to nanoplastic pollution.
Cellular Uptake, Transport, and Organelle Response After Exposure to Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Current Knowledge and Perspectives for Environmental and Health Risks
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Microplastics and nanoplastics enter cells through endocytosis and passive diffusion, then travel through organelles including endosomes, autophagosomes, and lysosomes, ultimately causing toxicity in mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, and cytoskeleton. Understanding these cellular uptake pathways and organelle-level damage mechanisms is critical for accurately assessing the human health risks of chronic microplastic exposure.
Cell size matters: nano- and micro-plastics preferentially drive declines of large marine phytoplankton due to co-aggregation
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Nano- and microplastics aggregated preferentially with large marine phytoplankton, causing them to sink faster and reducing their abundance relative to small cells. This selective removal could disrupt marine food webs and reduce the ocean's ability to absorb carbon.
Accumulation and Toxicity of Nanoplastics in Photosynthetic‐Species
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This review examines how nanoplastics, plastic particles smaller than one micrometer, affect plants ranging from algae to crop species. Researchers found that nanoplastics can cross plant cell barriers and interfere with photosynthesis, growth, and gene expression. The study highlights that the small size of nanoplastics makes them particularly concerning because they can penetrate deeper into plant tissues than larger microplastics.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.