Nanomaterials Induced Genotoxicity in Plant: Methods and Strategies

Abstract

In recent years, plant-nanomaterial interactions have been studied, highlighting their effects at physiological and molecular levels. Transcriptomics and proteomics studies have shown pathways and targets of nanomaterial exposure and plant response, with particular regard to abiotic stress and oxidative stress. Only little information has been reported on engineered nanomaterial (ENMs) interactions with plant genetic material, both at a genomic and organellar DNAs level. Plants can be useful experimental material, considering they both contain chloroplast and mitochondrial DNAs and several plant genomes have been completely sequenced (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Solanum lycoperiscum, Allium cepa, Zea mays, etc.). In this mini review, the methods and the evidence reported in the present literature concerning the level of genotoxicity induced by ENMs exposure have been considered. Consolidated and potential strategies, which can be applied to assess the nanomaterial genotoxicity in plants, are reviewed.

Nano-Biofertilizer Formulations for Agriculture: A Systematic Review on Recent Advances and Prospective Applications

“…Plants have had to deal with environmental NMs, both metallic and organic, throughout their evolutionary history [ 96 ]. But as engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) become more widely used and produced, the number of plants that are exposed to NMs through both accidental and intentional means is expected to increase dramatically.…”

ZnO nanoparticles as potential fertilizer and biostimulant for lettuce

“…NMs phytotoxicity (cytotoxicity, genotoxicity) is mainly due to time and levels of exposure of leaves, roots or seeds [ 14 ]. The primary mechanism by which some NMs produce genotoxicity is damage to chromosomes and interactions with DNA, causing plant mutations [ 15 ]. The interaction of NMs with cell walls and membranes induces cytotoxicity, causing oxidative stress [ 13 ], alterations in cell division, producing cells with malformations [ 16 ] and cell disorganization [ 17 ].…”

Special Issue “The Genetic Changes Induced by Engineered Manufactured Nanomaterials (EMNs)”

“…Notwithstanding the extensive research on the cytotoxicity of NMs, their possible genotoxicity is of concern due to their increased utilization [2]. As explained in one of the reviews included in this Special Issue, the number and quantity of nanomaterials is ever increasing and affecting the environment where humans, bacteria, and plants live, and their genome come in contact with nanomaterials [3]. Although the topic of genotoxicity induced by nanomaterials is important, we had only five contributions for this Special Issue: [3][4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…As explained in one of the reviews included in this Special Issue, the number and quantity of nanomaterials is ever increasing and affecting the environment where humans, bacteria, and plants live, and their genome come in contact with nanomaterials [3]. Although the topic of genotoxicity induced by nanomaterials is important, we had only five contributions for this Special Issue: [3][4][5][6][7][8]. Marmiroli et al, 2022 [3], contributed a minireview on the methods used to analyze genotoxicity in plants.…”

“…Different mechanisms can be utilized according to the different ENM physico-chemical properties, specifically the following: (i) ENMs are able to pass through the cellular membrane lipid bilayer; (ii) endocytosis processes, the Trojan horse mechanism and biotransformation processes drive the accumulation of ENMs in plant cells; (iii) the utilization of membrane transporters mediating the translocation into the plant cell. These phenomena cause the interaction of ENM with DNA and chromatin and standard methods to measure the damages that can be caused are revised [3].…”