Gum-Mediated Fabrication of Eco-Friendly Gold Nanoparticles Promoting Cell Division and Pollen Germination in Plant Cells

Abstract

In this study we reported a simple approach for the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the Terminalia arjuna gum extract as a source of reducing and stabilizing compounds. The fabrication of AuNPs was confirmed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD and TEM. UV–Vis spectrum clearly showed the absorption peak at 520 nm, which is due to the surface Plasmon resonance on AuNPs. XRD analysis highlighted the crystalline nature of AuNPs, with face-centered cubic structure. TEM showed that spherical shape of nanoparticles, with average particles size of 10–20 nm. AuNPs did not show any inhibitory activity both on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, different doses of AuNPs (0, 100, 500 and 1000 µM) were tested to assess their potential impact on mitotic division and pollen germination. A treatment with 100 µM of AuNPs significantly induced both mitotic division and pollen germination. In the plant cells, the passive uptake of AuNPs through cytosol allowed them to move towards the nuclear pore complex. Subsequently, they interacted with histone protein leading to mitotic cell division and pollen germination. Overall, our study highlighted the potential of gum-fabricated AuNPs in cytogenetic, gene expression and plant tissue culture applications.