Physio-biochemical and transcriptomics analyses reveal molecular mechanisms of enhanced UV-B stress tolerance in rice induced by titanium dioxide nanoparticles

ABSTRACT

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) stands out as the world's most vital staple food crop, yet is susceptible to UV-B radiation stress. This study investigates the physiological and transcriptome responses in rice exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) under UV-B radiation. Results demonstrate that TiO₂ NPs, applied alone (TN) or in combination with UV-B stress (UV+TN), significantly enhance rice plant growth and physiological parameters. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, elevated under UV-B stress, are significantly reduced by TN and UV+TN treatments, thereby regulating antioxidants particularly involved in ascorbate-glutathione pathway. Transcriptomics analysis of identified DEGs in UV+TN, utilizing KEGG pathway analysis, reveals significant enrichment in various pathways. These pathways include glutathione metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, regulation of basal transcription factors, plant hormonal signal transduction pathways, cellular processes associated with energy, and the MAPK signaling pathway. Overall, TiO₂ NPs application modulates diverse biological and metabolic pathways, enhancing UV-B stress tolerance in rice.

KEYWORDS:

• Rice
• nanoparticles
• UV-B stress
• redox homeostasis
• plant growth
• photosynthetic efficiency

Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful for the full financial support for APC provided by Universitas Padjadjaran. The author (Fohad Mabood Husain) would like to thank the Researchers Supporting Project (RSPD2024R729), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by postdoctoral funding from Universitas Padjadjaran [grant number: 728/UN6.RKT/Kep/HK/2023].

Notes on contributors

Raheel Shahzad

Raheel Shahzad is a postdoctoral research fellow at Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. His work focuses on physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms of plant adaptations to various environmental stress factors.

Putri Widyanti Harlina

Putri Widyanti Harlina is assistant professor at department of food technology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. She focuses on lipidomics and antioxidation functions in foods.

Shahid Ullah Khan

Shahid Ullah Khan works as assistant professor at college of agronomy and biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.

Muhammad Ihtisham

Muhammad Ihtisham works as assistant professor at school of agriculture, forestry and food engineering, Yibin University, China.

Aamir Hamid Khan

Aamir Hamid Khan works at faculty of biology, department of biogeography, paleoecology and environmental protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.

Fohad Mabood Husain

Fohad Mabood Husain works as professor at department of food science and nutrition, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Agung Karuniawan

Agung Karuniawan, full professor, working at faculty of agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. His expertise is in plant genetic resources/breeding, focuses on grain, legume and tuber crops