Fluorescent carbon-dots enhance light harvesting and photosynthesis by overexpressing PsbP and PsiK genes

• Published in: Journal of nanobiotechnology Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 260 - 14
• Main Authors: Wang, Yuhui, Xie, Zhuomi, Wang, Xiuhua, Peng, Xin, Zheng, Jianping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 28.08.2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Absorptivity; Agricultural production; Agricultural research; Carbon; Carbon - chemistry; Carbon dots; Catalysis; Chlorophyll; Chloroplasts; Crop growth; Crop yield; Crop yields; Efficiency; Electron transfer; Fluorescence; Fluorescent carbon-dots; Fluorescent Dyes - pharmacology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - drug effects; Genes; Genetic aspects; Harvest; Light; Luminescence; Microwaves; N. benthamiana; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanotechnology; Near infrared radiation; Nicotiana; Nicotiana - genetics; Nicotiana - growth & development; Optical properties; Photosynthesis; Photosynthesis - drug effects; Photosynthesis - genetics; Photosynthesis - physiology; Photosynthesis - radiation effects; Photosystem I; Photosystem I Protein Complex - genetics; Photosystem II; Photosystem II Protein Complex - genetics; Physiological aspects; Plant Proteins - genetics; PsbP; PsiK; Quantum Dots; Sustainable agriculture; Ultraviolet radiation; Ultraviolet Rays; China; Fluorescent carbon-dots; PsiK; Photosynthesis; N. benthamiana; PsbP
• ISSN: 1477-3155; 1477-3155
• DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-01005-0

Fluorescent carbon-dots (CDs) with multifaceted advantages have provided hope for improvement of crop growth. Near infrared (NIR) CDs would be more competitive and promising than short-wavelength emissive CDs, which are not directly utilized by chloroplast. The molecular targets and underlying mechanism of these stimulative effects are rarely mentioned. NIR-CDs with good mono-dispersity and hydrophily were easily prepared by a one-step microwave-assisted carbonization manner, which showed obvious UV absorptive and far-red emissive properties. The chloroplast-CDs complexes could accelerate the electron transfer from photosystem II (PS II) to photosystem I (PS I). NIR-CDs exhibited a concentration-dependent promotion effect on N. benthamiana growth by strengthening photosynthesis. We firstly demonstrated that potential mechanisms behind the photosynthesis-stimulating activity might be related to up-regulated expression of the photosynthesis and chloroplast synthesis related genes, among which PsbP and PsiK genes are the key regulators. These results illustrated that NIR-CDs showed great potential in the applications to increase crop yields through ultraviolet light harvesting and elevated photosynthesis efficiency. This work would provide a theoretical basis for the understanding and applications of the luminescent nanomaterials (not limited to CDs) in the sunlight conversion-related sustainable agriculture.