Excellence in Research: Oxidative stress induced impact of cell-penetrating nanoparticles on cellular constituents in a cyanobacterial model

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Adverse environmental hazards caused by fossil fuel use have sparked significant interest in alternative energy technologies. As photosynthetic microorganisms, cyanobacteria produce lipids, which can be converted to high-energy biofuels, thus offering great potential for industrial and environmental applications. This transformative research seeks to understand the unprecedented ability of nanotechnological approaches to accelerate the development of biomass-derived fuel production technologies for environmental sustainability. Iron nanoparticles adsorb to cyanobacterial cell surfaces due to their high chemical reactivity and can create oxidative stress leading to metabolic changes. The goal of this study is to understand the unique effects of biological-nanoparticle interactions at the cellular level and their impact on the production of industrially useful molecules. Undergraduate and graduate students will be mentored and trained on cutting-edge interdisciplinary research at the home institution (Morgan State University) and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (Florida State University). Research protocols generated from the project will be incorporated in a 400-level undergraduate laboratory-based educational course that the investigator teaches, providing rich research experience for students who do not have the opportunity for individualized research. Discoveries generated through this project will be disseminated through presentations at national conferences, patents, peer-reviewed publications, and outreach activities. A comprehensive understanding of the role of iron nanoparticles in a model cyanobacterium will have far-reaching benefits to advance research and promote discoveries across multiple disciplines including bioenergy, environmentally safe remediation, and biosensing. The research focuses on a major unsolved problem in the field of nanoparticle-mediated impact in cyanobacteria, especially since these organisms are used as a platform for bioenergy. The project aims to understand how zero-valent iron nanoparticles which inertly penetrate cyanobacterial cells can induce oxidative stress, and impact photosynthetic pigmentation, protein regulation, and lipid profile. It will serve as a foundation for future contributions by (i) evaluating the impact of nanoparticle-induced stress on reactive oxygen species and pigment accumulation in cyanobacterium Fremyella diplosiphon, (ii) deciphering differential protein regulation of antioxidative enzymes in nano-treated F. diplosiphon using big data analytics, and (iii) unraveling unique fatty acid methyl ester profiles and polar lipids using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time of flight and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The principal investigator's research group proposes a hybrid system by incorporating iron nanoparticles to enhance lipid production in cyanobacterial cells, leading to an environmentally-safe alternative energy source. Through this innovative approach, the project will provide a clear understanding of the impact of iron nanoparticle-induced oxidative stress on protein and lipid domains when iron nanoparticles non-antagonistically enter the cell. Unlocking the mechanisms of nanoparticle-induced stress response on metabolic processes will offer tremendous potential to understand their role in altering cellular constituents. The team will provide interactive opportunities to students on the projects to generate data, discuss results, write manuscripts, and present findings at scientific conferences. This multidisciplinary project at the nexus of Biology, Engineering, Nanotechnology, and Chemistry will equip the next-generation researchers to address challenges in STEM fields. The proposed strategies will generate fundamental knowledge of iron nanoparticle-mediated cell response and provide new insights by studying oxidative stress-mediated effects on cellular processes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.