Insight into carbohydrate metabolism, protein quantification and mineral regulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by the action of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against heat stress

Abstract

In the present investigation, the role of GS-AgNPs treatment in wheat plants was carried out in reducing heat stress with the aim of facilitating scientists on this topic. The effect of GS-AgNPs against heat stress has rarely been deliberated in wheat plants, and only a few studies have been established earlier in this scenario. This work illustrated the effect of GS-AgNPs on the regulation of carbohydrates metabolism, SOD, proteins, crude fibers, and minerals changes in wheat plants. Data were analysed using PCA analysis, correlation parameters, and normal probability distribution in PAST 3 software. The results indicated that heat stress alone caused severe changes in carbohydrates metabolism, SOD, proteins, crude fibers, and minerals immediately so that plants could not recover without foreign stabilizers such as GS-AgNPs. The application of GS-AgNPs increases the flux of carbohydrates metabolism, SOD, and proteins, including HSPs, crude fibers, and minerals, in wheat plants to reduce the effect of heat stress. The 50 mg/l concentration of GS-AgNPs has shown an increase in carbohydrates metabolism and SOD activity, while crude fibres have shown a significant enhancement at 100 mg/l of GS-AgNPs. The crude and true proteins were also shown pronounced increase in treatment to a concentration of 50 mg/l of GS-AgNPs. GS-AgNPs stimulated HSP production; most importantly, smHSP production was observed in the present results with other HSPs in wheat plants treated with a 50 mg/l concentration of GS-AgNPs. The mineral distribution was also regulated by the respective treatment of GS-AgNPs, and the highest amounts of Ca, P and Fe were found to be highest in wheat under heat stress. In general, we computed the expected model based on GS-AgNPs on the genes/factors that respond to heat stress and their potential role in mitigating heat stress in wheat. In addition, we discussed the prospective signalling pathway triggered by GS-AgNPs in wheat against heat stress. In the future, this work might be helpful in distinguishing the genetic variation due to GS-AgNPs in promoting tolerance in wheat against heat stress.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Keywords:

• Triticum aestivum
• nanobiotechnology
• metabolism
• minerals
• fibres
• heat shock proteins

Acknowledgment

We are grateful to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan (NRPU) grant for their support in the successful completion of this experimental work.

Author contributions

All authors of this research article have contributed significantly to the literature study, writing, methodology, and critically revised the research article. M.I: Conceptualization/conceived the study idea, planned and designed the research structure, wrote the first draft of the manuscript, data validation, visualization, customized images, final draft. N.I.R & Z.U.R: supervised research, drafting process, and revised the first draft. F.Y, M.H & M.E: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Validation, Resources, suggestions. F.A: and M.E, Data curation, Review editing, Software and validation, M.I Methodology, Visualization, Validation and final editing of manuscript. J.P: helped with data validation and interpretation, guided the draft write-up, and carried out a critical revision of the final draft; and funding acquisition. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Compliance with ethical standards

There is no human subject in this article and ethical statement is not applicable. All the authors declare no ethical issues.

Data availability statement

All data have been directly included in this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.