Impact of Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles on Growth, Pigment Content, Membrane Stability, DNA Damage, and Stress-Related Gene Expression in Vicia faba under Saline Conditions

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) on Vicia faba under salinity stress. Plants were treated with either 10 or 20 ppm nTiO2 and subjected to two different concentrations of salinity (100 and 200 mM NaCl) as well as the combined effect of nanoparticles and salinity. Salinity induced a reduction in dry weight, increased electron leakage and MDA content, increased chromosomal aberrations and DNA damage, and reduced transcript levels of some stress- and growth-related genes. nTiO2 treatment increased dry weight in unstressed plants and mitigated the salinity-damaging effect in stressed plants. nTiO2 application improved cell division, decreased chromosomal aberrations, and reduced DNA damage in plants under saline conditions. The upregulation of antioxidant genes further supports the protective role of nTiO2 against oxidative stress. Particularly significant was the ability of nTiO2 to enhance the upregulation of heat shock protein (HSP) genes. These findings underscore the potential of nTiO2 to reduce the osmotic and toxic effects of salinity-induced stress in plants.

Exogenous application of 5-azacitidin, royal jelly and folic acid regulate plant redox state, expression level of DNA methyltransferases and alleviate adverse effects of salinity stress on Vicia faba L. plants

“…HSP17.9 encoding gene was involved as member of conserved proteins which known to be produced in response to a sudden rise in temperature and under a variety of abiotic stresses for instance salinity [ 2 , 6 , 72 ]. Expression levels of HSP17.9 with salinity treatment were significantly down regulated in shoots and roots in both varieties except for shoots of Sakha-3 where the reduction in their expression was non-significant.…”

“…The electrolyte leakage (EL) rate of leaves was determined by dividing net electrical conductivity of the solution with leaf discs soaked for 1h by the total electrical conductivity after boiling as reported by Ref. [ 2 ] and the results was given in in μS cm − 1 mg − 1 FW h − 1 .…”

“…Salinity stress is one of main abiotic stresses that limit crop production and yield quality [ 1 , 2 ]. About 20 % of global cultivated land is affected by salinity [ 3 ], which effect negatively on food security.…”

“…This leads to proliferation the oxidative stress and magnification the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing a subsequent loss of membrane permeability, proteins integrity [ 4 , 5 ] and effect negatively on plant performance. Stimulation ROS scavenging and antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) could support plants to combat the hazardous effects induced under salinity condition [ 2 , 6 ]. Vicia faba is recognized worldwide as main source of protein and essential nutrients in the majority of developing countries and considered as an important crop in the animal feed market [ 7 ].…”

“…Hazardous effects of salinity as well as other oxidative stresses are often associated with reduction or even suppression the expression of several key genes essential for growth and stress responses [ 2 , 6 , 11 ]. DNA methylation process protect genomes against sever factors and their level is affected by changes the biotic and abiotic conditions [ 12 ] Although changes in plant transcriptome induced by changes in DNA methylation, mediated by stress, could help plants to survive under stress, it comes with yield penalties, where it causes silencing of several genes involved in different metabolic activities [ 7 , 13 , 14 ].…”