Ionome mapping and amino acid metabolome profiling of Phaseolus vulgaris L. seeds imbibed with computationally informed phytoengineered copper sulphide nanoparticles
Nandipha L. Botha,
Karen J. Cloete,
Žiga Šmit,
Kristina Isaković,
Mahmood Akbari,
Razieh Morad,
Itani Madiba,
Oladipupo Moyinoluwa David,
Luis P. M. Santos,
Admire Dube,
Primoz Pelicon,
Malik Maaza
Affiliations
Nandipha L. Botha
UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa
Karen J. Cloete
UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa
Žiga Šmit
Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana
Kristina Isaković
Jožef Stefan Institute
Mahmood Akbari
UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa
Razieh Morad
UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa
Itani Madiba
UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa
Oladipupo Moyinoluwa David
School of Pharmacy, University of the Western Cape
Luis P. M. Santos
Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Ceará
Admire Dube
School of Pharmacy, University of the Western Cape
Primoz Pelicon
Jožef Stefan Institute
Malik Maaza
UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology Laboratories, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa
Abstract This study reports the effects of a computationally informed and avocado-seed mediated Phyto engineered CuS nanoparticles as fertilizing agent on the ionome and amino acid metabolome of Pinto bean seeds using both bench top and ion beam analytical techniques. Physico-chemical analysis of the Phyto engineered nanoparticles with scanning-electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy confirmed the presence of CuS nanoparticles. Molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interaction of some active phytocompounds in avocado seeds that act as reducing agents with the nano-digenite further showed that 4-hydroxybenzoic acid had a higher affinity for interacting with the nanoparticle’s surface than other active compounds. Seeds treated with the digenite nanoparticles exhibited a unique ionome distribution pattern as determined with external beam proton-induced X-ray emission, with hotspots of Cu and S appearing in the hilum and micropyle area that indicated a possible uptake mechanism via the seed coat. The nano-digenite also triggered a plant stress response by slightly altering seed amino acid metabolism. Ultimately, the nano-digenite may have important implications as a seed protective or nutritive agent as advised by its unique distribution pattern and effect on amino acid metabolism. Graphical abstract