Transcriptomic and metabolic reprogramming of durum wheat under nanoplastic exposure

Metabolic-endocrine remodelling of the testis under polystyrene nanoplastic exposure: Intervention by organ-specific phytocomplexes of Nelumbo nucifera.

Synthetic microbial communities derived from nanoplastic-reshaped root endophytes alleviate phytotoxicity in Populus × euramericana cv. '74/76'.

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the effects of nanoplastics on root development, oxidative stress, and metabolic pathways in different apple rootstock varieties.

Plant stress studies dealing with a single stress approach have been useful for dissecting stress perception of defined stimuli and related gene expression and metabolic changes. However, in real-world scenarios, plants are simultaneously exposed to a plethora of stresses counteracted by mean of tailored responses completely different from the responses to individual stresses. Durum wheat seedlings were used as an experimental model to investigate the plant response to salinity (100 mM NaCl) and low/high light (350/900 μmol m–2 s–1) or low/high nitrogen (0.1/10 mM KNO3, respectively), focusing on the physiological and metabolic changes potentially involved in osmotic adjustment and antioxidant defense. The data showed that durum wheat plants are able to fine-tune relatively few selected metabolites, in particular proline, amides, GABA, minor amino acids, hexoses, and glycine betaine, which may be the key actors in osmotic adjustment, scavenging of ROS, biochemical pH-stat, assimilation of the excess of ammonium, and signaling under the combined stresses. To unravel, in particular, the reason of proline, glycine betaine, and GABA accumulation and their possible mode of action, all possible roles for these metabolites under stress are considered, and mechanisms of action triggered by stresses suggested.

Nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as pervasive environmental pollutants, and polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) have been increasingly implicated in pulmonary toxicity and fibrosis. Here, we established both an in vitro BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial injury model and an in vivo mouse model by repeated oropharyngeal aspiration of PS-NPs. We observed pronounced pulmonary fibrosis and ferroptotic death of alveolar type II cells. Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic profiling highlighted enrichment of the ferroptosis pathway, and in vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that PS-NPs suppress GPX4 while inducing FTL, thereby driving lipid peroxidation. Mechanistically, YY1 binds the FTL promoter to repress its expression, and YY1 knockdown alleviates ferroptosis and fibrosis. Our findings identify YY1/FTL-mediated ferroptosis as a key mechanism by which PS-NPs induce pulmonary fibrosis.

Understanding the neurological impact of nanoplastic exposure has become an area of intensive research recently. This study examined the molecular and cellular mechanisms of how nanoplastics affect amyloid-beta (Aβ) clearance by microglia in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Transmission electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations showed that polystyrene nanoplastics accelerated Aβ aggregation by forming a protein corona, promoting peptide fibrillization through hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. Flow cytometry and endocytosis inhibition assays revealed that polystyrene nanoplastics impaired microglial uptake of Aβ while increasing their own cellular internalization, leading to microglial energy depletion and allowing Aβ aggregates to evade immune clearance. Additionally, proteomic analysis indicated that polystyrene nanoplastics disrupted microglial homeostasis, exacerbated neuroinflammation and metabolic dysregulation, and impaired the signalling pathway of ABC transporters critical for Aβ clearance in the AD brain. These findings suggest that nanoplastics contribute to AD pathology by impeding Aβ clearance and corrupting neuroimmune defense.

Polystyrene nanoplastics (Ps-NPs) are emerging environmental contaminants known to cause significant respiratory damage due to oxidative stress and inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Nelumbo nucifera extracts derived from leaves (T1), flowers (T2), and rhizomes (T3) on lung histology in rats exposed to 2 µL/kg body weight of Ps-NP administered orally. The study involved 25 rats divided into five groups: negative control, positive control, T1, T2, and T3, with treatment groups receiving 200 mg/kg body weight of the respective extracts. Histological parameters analyzed included inflammatory cell count, alveolar wall thickness, and alveolar lumen dilation score. The results showed significant differences among groups (p<0,05), with T3 (rhizome extract) demonstrating the most effective histological recovery. The phytochemical screening revealed that N. nucifera leaves, flowers, and rhizomes contain flavonoid, phenol, steroid, tannin, terpenenoid, and saponin (exception in rhizome), and the amount of flavonoid levels is 20.04 ± 0.03 mg QE/g (leaves), 14.46 ± 0.08 mg QE/g (flowers), and 9.23 ± 0.04 mf QE/g (rhizomes). These findings indicate that extracts of N. nucifera exert significant protective effects against Ps-NP induced pulmonary damage. This suggests their potential as natural therapeutic agents for mitigating lung injury caused by environmental nanoplastic exposure.

Thiadiazole compounds and their derivatives cause many structural, physiological and developmental changes as well as metabolic pathways associated with carbon and nitrogen metabolism and the redox state inside plant tissues. In this study, physiological and biochemical effects of 0, 5, 25 and 50 μg/L of synthetic 1,2,3-Thiadiazole [1,3-Bis[4-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl) phenoxy]propane] compound on two wheat (Triticum durum L.) cultivars seedlings were examined in terms of seed germination, plant growth, oxidative damage, GABA level, total carbohydrates and protein contents and chlorophyll contents. Seed germination was completely inhibited except at 5 μg/L, which resulted in germination percentage of 37 % for Hurani75 and 50 % for Um Qayes compared to 90 % and 94 % seed germination for both cultivars, respectively, at no treatment (0 μg/L). Shoot fresh weight and dry mass were significantly reduced under all treatments with negative correlation compared to no treatment. The accumulation of MDA was significantly higher in Um Qayes than Hurani75 cultivar under all treatments. Significant accumulation of GABA in both cultivars, significant reduction in total protein level and carbohydrates and chlorophyll contents in response to all treatments were also found. The high accumulation of GABA and reduction in total protein and carbohydrates contents suggested that GABA shunt might act as alternative pathway in Carbon and Nitrogen metabolism through generating Carbon fluxes to TCA cycle, enhancing basal Nitrogen assimilation and counteract the oxidative damage to restrict ROS increase in response to the synthetic 1,2,3-Thiadiazole [1,3-Bis[4-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl) phenoxy]propane] compound treatment in durum wheat seedlings.

Cd accumulation in durum wheat presents a potential health risk to consumers. In an effort to understand the physiological mechanisms involved with Cd accumulation, this study examined the effects of Zn on Cd root uptake and phloem translocation in a split– root system. Durum wheat seedlings were grown in chelate-buffered nutrient solution with intact root systems divided into two sections. Each root section grew in a separate 1 l pot, one of which contained 0.2 μM CdSO4. In addition, each two-pot system contained ZnSO4 in the following combinations (in μm) (for -cd root system: +cd root system): 1:1, 1:10, 10:1,10:10, 1:19, and 19:1. Harvested plant material was analyzed for Cd and Zn. In addition, rates of Cd and Zn net uptake, translocation to the shoot, and root export (translocation from one root segment to the other) between days 8 and 22 were calculated. Results show that Zn was not translocated from one root section to its connected root section. Uptake rates of Cd increased as solution Zn concentrations increased. Cd translocation from one root section to the other decreased significantly when the Zn concentration in either pot was greater than 1 μM. These results show the potential of Zn to inhibit movement of Cd via the phloem, and suggests that providing adequate Zn levels may limit phloem loading of Cd into wheat grain. Increasing the rhizosphere activity of Zn2+ in Cd-containing soils may therefore result in reduced Cd accumulation in grain even while net Cd uptake is slightly enhanced.

Genome-wide characterization and expression profiling of GASA gene family in Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (desf.) husn. (Durum wheat) unveils its involvement in environmental stress responses

Foliar uptake and leaf-to-root translocation of nanoplastics with different coating charge in maize plants

Durum wheat (Triticum durum) is a staple crop in the Mediterranean region, where it faces serious threats from arthropod pests that can significantly reduce yields. This study aimed to assess the diversity and seasonal dynamics of insect pest communities associated with durum wheat under contrasting climatic conditions in northern Algeria. A total of 18 and 20 species were recorded at the semi-arid and sub-humid sites, represented by Bouira and Algiers respectively, with seven dominant and common species identified at both sites: Aeolothrips fasciatus, Limothrips cerealium, Haplothrips tritici, Melanthrips pallidior (Thysanoptera), Hydrellia griseola, Liriomyza trifolii (Diptera), and Rhopalosiphum padi (Hemiptera). Insect populations were present throughout the wheat growth cycle, with abundance peaks occurring in February at Algiers and in May at Bouira. A general decrease in insect numbers was observed with rising temperatures, although this trend varied among species. The findings enhance current understanding of pest assemblages in North African cereal systems and support the development of regionally adapted and ecologically sound monitoring and pest management strategies.

In dryland regions, soil moisture stress often leads to desiccation and causes injury to photosynthetic machinery. Recently, chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF)-based assessment of photosynthetic efficiency under drought stress is gaining attention due to advances in instrument development and methodology optimisation. Our study was designed to explore the use of spike photosynthetic efficiency as a trait to differentiate drought responses in wheat. Bread and durum wheat were assessed for spike, stem, and leaf tissue photosynthetic efficiency in response to progressive desiccation using ChlF imaging. Results showed that durum wheat had higher quantum efficiency and lower photoinhibition of PSII relative to bread wheat across spike, stem, and leaf. Rate of decline in maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII with increased desiccation was seen higher in bread wheat spikes as compared to durum wheat. Our investigation clearly demonstrated that ChlF imaging could be effectively deployed as phenotyping tool to differentiate wheat genotypes for their photosynthetic performance under desiccation.

Seedlings of durum wheat [Triticum turgidum subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn] were exposed to zinc nutrition and to ozone (O3) in a factorial combination: adequate (+Zn treatment) or no Zn (-Zn) in the nutrient solution, followed by exposure to either ozone-free air (filtered air, FA) or to 150nLL-1 ozone (O3) for 4h. Although omitting Zn from the nutrient solution failed to impose a genuine Zn deficiency, -Zn*FA durum wheat seedlings showed a typical deficiency behaviour, i.e. Zn mobilisation from root to shoot. Such inter-organ Zn redistribution, however, did not occur in -Zn*O3 plants. Exposure to each stress singly decreased the activity and the protein amount of foliar plasma membrane H+-ATPase, but not stress combination, which even increased the H+-ATPase expression with respect to control. In the -Zn*O3 plants, moreover, the foliar activities of the plasma membrane-bound NAD(P)H-dependent superoxide synthase and of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, and the transcripts abundance of the luminal binding protein and of the protein disulphide isomerase, were also stimulated. It is proposed that, even in the absence of actual Zn starvation, the perception of deficiency conditions could trigger changes in redox homoeostasis at the plasma membrane level, helpful in compensating an O3-dependent oxidative damage.

To evaluate durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) tolerance to osmotic stress at the water potential levels induced by polyethylene glycol 6000 and NaCl solutions at an early stage of plant growth. Each, on germination and early seedling stages, were investigated for two durum wheat genotypes differing in drought tolerance (boefi and leucurum) at laboratory, in Iran in 2010. This investigation was performed as factorial experiment under complete randomized design with four replications. Daily and final germination as well as germination and seedling emergence rate, and seedling fresh and dry weight were measured in the study under controlled conditions. Results showed those germination rate was delayed by both solutions in both varieties, with differences between genotypes among growth stages, given that boefi genotype showed a higher germination rate than leucurum genotype in NaCl. NaCl had a lesser effect on genotypes in terms of germination rate and the final germination than did polyethylene glycol (PEG). This conclusively proves that the adverse effect of PEG on germination and early seedling growth was due to the osmotic effect rather than the specific ion. Seedling growth was reduced by both stresses. But NaCl usually caused less damage than PEG to durum wheat seedlings, suggesting that NaCl and PEG acted through different mechanisms. This difference in cultivar’s behavior according to the growth conditions is discussed. It was concluded that inhibition in germination at equivalent water potential levels of NaCl and PEG was mainly due to an osmotic effect rather than did salt toxicity. Finally boefi genotype showed that resistance to both NaCl and PEG stress than leucurum genotype. Keywords: Durum wheat, germination, NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG).