Assessment of the oxidative stress intensity and the integrity of cell membranes under the manganese nanoparticles toxicity in wheat seedlings

Abstract

A response to manganese nanoparticles was studied in seedlings of two wheat cultivars and a model system of plant cell membranes. Nanoparticles at concentrations of 125 and 250 mg/ml were applied foliar. The application of NPs enhanced the content of Mn in plant cells, indicating its penetration through the leaf surface. The stressful effect in the plant cells was estimated based on changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, content of chlorophylls and starch. MnNPs evoked no significant changes in the leaf morphology, however, an increase in enzyme activity, starch accumulation, and a decrease in chlorophyll synthesis indicated the stress occurrence. Moreover, a rise in the electrokinetic potential of the chloroplast membrane surface and the reconstruction of their hydrophobic parts toward an increase in fatty acid saturation was found.