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Ultra‐small TiO 2 nanoparticles disrupt microtubular networks in Arabidopsis thaliana
Author(s) -
WANG SONGHU,
KUREPA JASMINA,
SMALLE JAN A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2011.02284.x
Subject(s) - arabidopsis thaliana , nanomaterials , microtubule , arabidopsis , nanoparticle , anatase , biophysics , proteasome , materials science , nanotechnology , function (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , photocatalysis , catalysis , mutant , gene
In spite of the mounting concerns, current understanding of the extent and mechanisms of phytotoxicity of manufactured nanomaterials remains limited. Here we show that in Arabidopsis thaliana , ultra‐small anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles cause reorganization and elimination of microtubules followed by the accelerated and 26S proteasome‐dependent degradation of tubulin monomers. Similar to other microtubule‐disrupting agents, TiO 2 nanoparticles induce isotropic growth of root cells. Because microtubules are essential for the normal function of all eukaryotic cells, these results reveal a potentially important consequence of environmental pollution by this widely used nanomaterial.