View in EDS

Zinc oxide nanoparticles enhance salt stress tolerance in Onobrychis viciifolia by modulating miRNA164a and miRNA399b expression and associated physiological mechanisms.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Zinc oxide nanoparticles enhance salt stress tolerance in Onobrychis viciifolia by modulating miRNA164a and miRNA399b expression and associated physiological mechanisms.
Authors: Yazıcılar, Büşra
Source: Plant Biotechnology Reports; Dec2025, Vol. 19 Issue 6, p711-727, 17p
Subject Terms: MICRORNA, ABIOTIC stress, SALINIZATION, OXIDATIVE stress, ZINC oxide synthesis, PHYSIOLOGY, VETCH
Abstract: Nanoparticles have emerged as critical mediators of plant adaptive responses to abiotic stressors, particularly salinity. Here, we demonstrate that zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) mitigate NaCl-induced stress in two cultivars of Onobrychis viciifolia (Açıkyol and Gürpınar) through coordinated regulation of oxidative stress markers, osmolytes, and microRNA expression. O. viciifolia seeds were placed on MS medium with varying salt concentrations (50–150 mM), different ZnO NPs concentrations (0.5 and 1.5 ppm), and a combination of NaCl and ZnO NPs for 1 month. Salt stress caused a decrease in root and leaf length, but ZnO NPs application increased these lengths. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels rose with increasing salt stress. Specifically, in MDA content, 50 mM NaCl + 0.5 ppm ZnO NPs was observed in Açıkyol, and 150 mM NaCl + 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in Gürpınar. For H2O2, cell damage was lowest at 50 mM NaCl + 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in both cultivars. Total sugar content was highest at 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in Açıkyol, and at 50 mM NaCl + 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in Gürpınar. Proline levels increased with higher salinity in both cultivars, while chlorophyll levels decreased. Changes in miRNA164a and miRNA399b expression levels showed gene repression as salinity stress increased. In Açıkyol, miRNA164a and miRNA399b were overexpressed at 150 mM NaCl + 0.5 ppm ZnO NPs. In Gürpınar, miR164a was overexpressed at 50 mM NaCl + 0.5 ppm ZnO NPs, and miRNA399b under the same conditions. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LCSM) results indicated that, under in vitro conditions, ZnO NPs could significantly mitigate the negative effects of salt stress on leaf samples. These findings support the results from SEM and LSCM analyses. Our study suggests that ZnO NPs may provide a simple and effective method to protect O. viciifolia from severe NaCl stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Plant Biotechnology Reports is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Complementary Index
Description
Abstract:Nanoparticles have emerged as critical mediators of plant adaptive responses to abiotic stressors, particularly salinity. Here, we demonstrate that zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) mitigate NaCl-induced stress in two cultivars of Onobrychis viciifolia (Açıkyol and Gürpınar) through coordinated regulation of oxidative stress markers, osmolytes, and microRNA expression. O. viciifolia seeds were placed on MS medium with varying salt concentrations (50–150 mM), different ZnO NPs concentrations (0.5 and 1.5 ppm), and a combination of NaCl and ZnO NPs for 1 month. Salt stress caused a decrease in root and leaf length, but ZnO NPs application increased these lengths. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Hydrogen peroxide (H<subscript>2</subscript>O<subscript>2</subscript>) levels rose with increasing salt stress. Specifically, in MDA content, 50 mM NaCl + 0.5 ppm ZnO NPs was observed in Açıkyol, and 150 mM NaCl + 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in Gürpınar. For H<subscript>2</subscript>O<subscript>2</subscript>, cell damage was lowest at 50 mM NaCl + 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in both cultivars. Total sugar content was highest at 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in Açıkyol, and at 50 mM NaCl + 1.5 ppm ZnO NPs in Gürpınar. Proline levels increased with higher salinity in both cultivars, while chlorophyll levels decreased. Changes in miRNA164a and miRNA399b expression levels showed gene repression as salinity stress increased. In Açıkyol, miRNA164a and miRNA399b were overexpressed at 150 mM NaCl + 0.5 ppm ZnO NPs. In Gürpınar, miR164a was overexpressed at 50 mM NaCl + 0.5 ppm ZnO NPs, and miRNA399b under the same conditions. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LCSM) results indicated that, under in vitro conditions, ZnO NPs could significantly mitigate the negative effects of salt stress on leaf samples. These findings support the results from SEM and LSCM analyses. Our study suggests that ZnO NPs may provide a simple and effective method to protect O. viciifolia from severe NaCl stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:18635466
DOI:10.1007/s11816-025-01019-2