Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis

In the area of climate change, nanotechnology provides handy tools for improving crop production and assuring sustainability in global agricultural system. Due to excellent physiological and biochemical properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely studied for potential use in agricultur...

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Main Authors: Yong Yang, PengMeng Du, Wenjie Lai, Liyan Yin, Yuanhao Ding, Zhonghua Li, Haiyan Hu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PeerJ Inc. 2022-04-01
Series:PeerJ
Subjects:
Online Access:https://peerj.com/articles/13336.pdf
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author Yong Yang
PengMeng Du
Wenjie Lai
Liyan Yin
Yuanhao Ding
Zhonghua Li
Haiyan Hu
author_facet Yong Yang
PengMeng Du
Wenjie Lai
Liyan Yin
Yuanhao Ding
Zhonghua Li
Haiyan Hu
author_sort Yong Yang
collection DOAJ
description In the area of climate change, nanotechnology provides handy tools for improving crop production and assuring sustainability in global agricultural system. Due to excellent physiological and biochemical properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely studied for potential use in agriculture. However, there are concerns about the mechanism of the toxic effects of the accumulation of AgNPs on crop growth and development. In this study, the impacts of AgNPs on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) seedlings were evaluated by integrating physiological and comprehensive metabolomic analyses. Potting-soil-grown, two-week-old cotton seedlings were foliar-exposed to 5 mg/plant AgNP or 0.02 mg/plant Ag+ (equivalent to the free Ag+ released from AgNPs). Primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) GC-MS, respectively. AgNPs inhibited the photosynthetic capacity of the cotton leaves. The metabolic spectrum analysis identified and quantified 73 primary metabolites and 45 VOCs in cotton leaves. Both treatments significantly changed the metabolite profiles of plant leaves. Among the primary metabolites, AgNPs induced marked changes in amino acids, sugars and sugar alcohols. Among the VOCs, 13 volatiles, mainly aldehydes, alkanes and terpenoids, were specifically altered only in response to AgNPs. In summary, our study showed that the comprehensive influence of AgNPs on primary metabolites and VOCs was not merely attributed to the released Ag+ but was caused by AgNP-specific effects on cotton leaves. These results provide important knowledge about the physiological and chemical changes in cotton leaves upon exposure to AgNPs and offer a new insight for supporting the sustainable use of AgNPs in agriculture.
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spelling doaj.art-abe643832a964fe1a8f3840d0a546a092023-12-03T10:06:47ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592022-04-0110e1333610.7717/peerj.13336Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysisYong YangPengMeng DuWenjie LaiLiyan YinYuanhao DingZhonghua LiHaiyan HuIn the area of climate change, nanotechnology provides handy tools for improving crop production and assuring sustainability in global agricultural system. Due to excellent physiological and biochemical properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely studied for potential use in agriculture. However, there are concerns about the mechanism of the toxic effects of the accumulation of AgNPs on crop growth and development. In this study, the impacts of AgNPs on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) seedlings were evaluated by integrating physiological and comprehensive metabolomic analyses. Potting-soil-grown, two-week-old cotton seedlings were foliar-exposed to 5 mg/plant AgNP or 0.02 mg/plant Ag+ (equivalent to the free Ag+ released from AgNPs). Primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) GC-MS, respectively. AgNPs inhibited the photosynthetic capacity of the cotton leaves. The metabolic spectrum analysis identified and quantified 73 primary metabolites and 45 VOCs in cotton leaves. Both treatments significantly changed the metabolite profiles of plant leaves. Among the primary metabolites, AgNPs induced marked changes in amino acids, sugars and sugar alcohols. Among the VOCs, 13 volatiles, mainly aldehydes, alkanes and terpenoids, were specifically altered only in response to AgNPs. In summary, our study showed that the comprehensive influence of AgNPs on primary metabolites and VOCs was not merely attributed to the released Ag+ but was caused by AgNP-specific effects on cotton leaves. These results provide important knowledge about the physiological and chemical changes in cotton leaves upon exposure to AgNPs and offer a new insight for supporting the sustainable use of AgNPs in agriculture.https://peerj.com/articles/13336.pdfCottonPrimary metabolitesVolatile organic compoundsSilver nanoparticles
spellingShingle Yong Yang
PengMeng Du
Wenjie Lai
Liyan Yin
Yuanhao Ding
Zhonghua Li
Haiyan Hu
Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis
PeerJ
Cotton
Primary metabolites
Volatile organic compounds
Silver nanoparticles
title Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis
title_full Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis
title_fullStr Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis
title_full_unstemmed Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis
title_short Changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis
title_sort changes in primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds in cotton seedling leaves exposed to silver ions and silver nanoparticles revealed by metabolomic analysis
topic Cotton
Primary metabolites
Volatile organic compounds
Silver nanoparticles
url https://peerj.com/articles/13336.pdf
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