Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress
Abstract The increasing accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils potentially threatens crop safety and quality. However, studies regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on plant growth remain limited. Herein, we estimated t...
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Wiley
2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/imo2.48 |
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| author | Yuanze Sun Jingxi Zang Siyuan Xie Mochen Wu Jianguo Tao Tanveer M. Adyel Xinyu Du Si Li Jie Wang |
| author_facet | Yuanze Sun Jingxi Zang Siyuan Xie Mochen Wu Jianguo Tao Tanveer M. Adyel Xinyu Du Si Li Jie Wang |
| author_sort | Yuanze Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The increasing accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils potentially threatens crop safety and quality. However, studies regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on plant growth remain limited. Herein, we estimated the effects of biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate, poly (butylene succinate), polylactic acid, and conventional non‐biodegradable polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics (at a concentration of 1% [w/w]) on the growth and physiological performance of maize (Zea mays L.). In addition, we studied the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of these microplastics on maize. Exposure to microplastics induced the production of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidants at varying levels in the maize. While the maize antioxidant systems were induced against biodegradable microplastic exposure, maize photosynthesis was relatively more important for conventional microplastic treatments. Additionally, metabolomics and transcriptomic analyses revealed that the pathways of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, photosynthesis, energy metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism were regulated by biodegradable and conventional microplastics. Specifically, microplastics induced the plant hormone signal transduction and mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Our results further indicated that microplastics could impact the plant through changing the soil environmental variables or altering the soil microbial communities. This study provides a molecular‐scale perspective on the responses of crops to microplastic contamination, and these findings will contribute to the ecological risk assessment of biodegradable and conventional microplastics. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2996-9506 2996-9514 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| spelling | doaj-art-fb81cf420bc64a71bf538f2a3faba23f2025-08-20T02:15:16ZengWileyiMetaOmics2996-95062996-95142025-03-0121n/an/a10.1002/imo2.48Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stressYuanze Sun0Jingxi Zang1Siyuan Xie2Mochen Wu3Jianguo Tao4Tanveer M. Adyel5Xinyu Du6Si Li7Jie Wang8Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences China Agricultural University Beijing ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences China Agricultural University Beijing ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences China Agricultural University Beijing ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences China Agricultural University Beijing ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences China Agricultural University Beijing ChinaCentre for Nature Positive Solutions, Biosciences and Food Technology Discipline, School of Science RMIT University Melbourne Victoria AustraliaCollage of Maine Ecology and Environment Shanghai Ocean University Shanghai ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences China Agricultural University Beijing ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences China Agricultural University Beijing ChinaAbstract The increasing accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils potentially threatens crop safety and quality. However, studies regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on plant growth remain limited. Herein, we estimated the effects of biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate, poly (butylene succinate), polylactic acid, and conventional non‐biodegradable polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics (at a concentration of 1% [w/w]) on the growth and physiological performance of maize (Zea mays L.). In addition, we studied the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of these microplastics on maize. Exposure to microplastics induced the production of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidants at varying levels in the maize. While the maize antioxidant systems were induced against biodegradable microplastic exposure, maize photosynthesis was relatively more important for conventional microplastic treatments. Additionally, metabolomics and transcriptomic analyses revealed that the pathways of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, photosynthesis, energy metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism were regulated by biodegradable and conventional microplastics. Specifically, microplastics induced the plant hormone signal transduction and mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Our results further indicated that microplastics could impact the plant through changing the soil environmental variables or altering the soil microbial communities. This study provides a molecular‐scale perspective on the responses of crops to microplastic contamination, and these findings will contribute to the ecological risk assessment of biodegradable and conventional microplastics.https://doi.org/10.1002/imo2.48biodegradable microplasticschemical defenseconventional microplasticsDOMmaizemulti‐omics |
| spellingShingle | Yuanze Sun Jingxi Zang Siyuan Xie Mochen Wu Jianguo Tao Tanveer M. Adyel Xinyu Du Si Li Jie Wang Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress iMetaOmics biodegradable microplastics chemical defense conventional microplastics DOM maize multi‐omics |
| title | Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress |
| title_full | Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress |
| title_fullStr | Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress |
| title_short | Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress |
| title_sort | transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress |
| topic | biodegradable microplastics chemical defense conventional microplastics DOM maize multi‐omics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/imo2.48 |
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