Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway

Phthalate esters (PAEs) were ubiquitous in agricultural soils and could be metabolized after being absorbed by crops, posing significant implications for crop yield and quality. We hypothesize that monophthalates (mPAEs), the hydrolyzed products of PAEs, might mimic phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) t...

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Main Authors: Yingying Sun, Jie Chen, Wei Wang, Lizhong Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Environment International
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003046
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author Yingying Sun
Jie Chen
Wei Wang
Lizhong Zhu
author_facet Yingying Sun
Jie Chen
Wei Wang
Lizhong Zhu
author_sort Yingying Sun
collection DOAJ
description Phthalate esters (PAEs) were ubiquitous in agricultural soils and could be metabolized after being absorbed by crops, posing significant implications for crop yield and quality. We hypothesize that monophthalates (mPAEs), the hydrolyzed products of PAEs, might mimic phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) to activate the JA signaling pathway, therefore enhancing the defense towards pests and inhibiting the rice plant growth. Taking dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a representative PAE, our study discovered that DBP exposure significantly induced JA-related outcomes including decreased larval weight (9.58–18.8%), and rice biomass (11.7–34.2%). Under the conditions where the JA content remained unchanged, monobutyl phthalate (MBP), the hydrolyzed product of DBP, triggered the JA signaling pathway, evidenced by significantly upregulated genes encoding coronatine insensitive 1 (COI1) (1.56–1.73 fold), jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) (4.33–7.71 fold), MYC2 transcription factor (2.07–2.87 fold), and promoted phytoalexins production in downstream signaling. MBP conjugated with isoleucine, and the conjugate subsequently mimicked a JA bioactivator (JA-isoleucine conjugate) to occupy the binding site of COI1-JAZ co-receptor protein, thereby initiating the JA signaling pathway. These JA-related outcomes and mechanism were consistently evidenced in rice exposed to other four typical PAEs, and the aliphatic chain length of selected PAEs indicated a negative contribution to these observations. In this study, we discovered a unconventional mechanism through which the transformation metabolites of PAEs elicit pest defense while simultaneously inhibiting rice growth, providing insights into the risk assessment of PAEs on crop yields and quality.
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spelling doaj-art-3d96a4d58389484aac6f11aa92a68d412025-08-20T02:36:59ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202025-07-0120110955310.1016/j.envint.2025.109553Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathwayYingying Sun0Jie Chen1Wei Wang2Lizhong Zhu3College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Corresponding author at: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.Phthalate esters (PAEs) were ubiquitous in agricultural soils and could be metabolized after being absorbed by crops, posing significant implications for crop yield and quality. We hypothesize that monophthalates (mPAEs), the hydrolyzed products of PAEs, might mimic phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) to activate the JA signaling pathway, therefore enhancing the defense towards pests and inhibiting the rice plant growth. Taking dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a representative PAE, our study discovered that DBP exposure significantly induced JA-related outcomes including decreased larval weight (9.58–18.8%), and rice biomass (11.7–34.2%). Under the conditions where the JA content remained unchanged, monobutyl phthalate (MBP), the hydrolyzed product of DBP, triggered the JA signaling pathway, evidenced by significantly upregulated genes encoding coronatine insensitive 1 (COI1) (1.56–1.73 fold), jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) (4.33–7.71 fold), MYC2 transcription factor (2.07–2.87 fold), and promoted phytoalexins production in downstream signaling. MBP conjugated with isoleucine, and the conjugate subsequently mimicked a JA bioactivator (JA-isoleucine conjugate) to occupy the binding site of COI1-JAZ co-receptor protein, thereby initiating the JA signaling pathway. These JA-related outcomes and mechanism were consistently evidenced in rice exposed to other four typical PAEs, and the aliphatic chain length of selected PAEs indicated a negative contribution to these observations. In this study, we discovered a unconventional mechanism through which the transformation metabolites of PAEs elicit pest defense while simultaneously inhibiting rice growth, providing insights into the risk assessment of PAEs on crop yields and quality.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003046Phthalate estersTransformation productsJasmonic acid signaling pathwayPest defenseGrowth inhibition
spellingShingle Yingying Sun
Jie Chen
Wei Wang
Lizhong Zhu
Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway
Environment International
Phthalate esters
Transformation products
Jasmonic acid signaling pathway
Pest defense
Growth inhibition
title Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway
title_full Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway
title_fullStr Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway
title_full_unstemmed Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway
title_short Transformation metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs) inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway
title_sort transformation metabolites of phthalate esters paes inhibited rice growth through jasmonic acid signaling pathway
topic Phthalate esters
Transformation products
Jasmonic acid signaling pathway
Pest defense
Growth inhibition
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003046
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