Deciphering the Impact of Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticle on Camelina sativa: An Integrated Analysis of Phenotypic Variability, Biochemical Responses, and Gene Expression Dynamics

Abstract

This study investigates how aluminum oxide nanoparticle (A1₂O₃-NP) affect plant growth and development as well as genetic response in Camelina sativa. The study shows a non-linear dose-response relationship between the administration of a range of nanoparticle concentrations (0.0005%-1%) and the controls. Specifically, higher concentrations of A1₂O₃-NP significantly inhibited root length (0.001%-1%, p[less-than]0.05) and leaf numbers (at 1%, p=0.007), but significantly increased leaf length at lower concentrations (0.0005% and 0.001%, control vs 0.0005%, p [less-than] 0.001; control vs 0.001%, p = 0.004) and shoot fresh weight at higher concentrations (0.1%-1%, p=0.001) inhibited them. This finding highlights the complex interactions that exist between plant physiology and nanoparticle concentrations, indicating that, depending on the degree of exposure, A1₂O₃-NP can either promote or inhibit plant growth. This intricate relationship is further clarified by gene expression analysis, which shows notable alterations in gene regulation linked to oxidative stress and root growth. Notably, at both 0.001% and 0.1% treatment dosages, genes such as AECC1, AKT1, CAT2, SHE1, and SOD1 consistently show overexpression, suggesting a robust genetic response to nanoparticle exposure. This response, however, varies significantly across different environmental conditions, as evidenced by the substantial variability in expression levels. On the other hand, genes including GSTF6, BHLH83a, EIS3, and ABC are consistently downregulated at both treatment levels, suggesting a systematic genetic modification that may be associated with detoxification processes, regulatory pathway changes, and stress response pathways. This pattern of gene expression points to the impact of A1₂O₃-NP on biological functions in plants, potentially influencing root development, growth, and general health. The study also finds that varying amounts of oxidative stress cause distinct gene-specific responses, such as upregulated _GSTF6 and downregulated SOD1 and CAT2 genes. These results suggest a complex physiological response to oxidative stress generated by nanoparticles, with different gene variability and regulatory pathways. Overall, this study makes a substantial contribution to our knowledge of the interactions between nanoparticles and plants by illuminating possible pathways by which A1₂O₃-NP affect the growth of plants. It draws attention to the intricate genetic response to nanoparticle exposure and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms by which plants respond to environmental stressors.