From inhibition to recovery: metabolic rebound of Microcystis aeruginosa following pulse exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics
Abstract
Nanoplastics (NPs) are an emerging global environmental concern. While extensive research has focused on the toxicological effects of NPs on microalgae, the post-exposure consequences remain largely unexplored. In this study, Microcystis aeruginosa was exposed to 5 and 50 mg/L of polystyrene (PS) for 15 days, followed by a 15-day post-exposure period in PS-free medium. Exposure to 5 mg/L PS did not significantly affect growth, phycobiliprotein content, or oxidative stress responses. In contrast, 50 mg/L PS significantly inhibited algal growth and impaired photosynthetic capacity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that this toxicity was underpinned by a broad downregulation of central energy metabolism, including photosynthesis, glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Notably, following the removal of PS, M. aeruginosa exhibited a remarkable recovery capacity driven by metabolic rebound. This was manifested as a robust upregulation of previously suppressed pathways, particularly the pentose phosphate pathway and oxidative phosphorylation, facilitating a substantial, though potentially incomplete, restoration of physiological function. These findings highlight the metabolic resilience of M. aeruginosa and underscore the importance of considering post-exposure phases in ecological risk assessments of NPs.
Related
- Synergistic degradation of polystyrene nanoplastics in water: Harnessing solar and water-driven energy through a Z-scheme SnO2/g-C3N4/PVDF-HFP piezo-photocatalytic system
- Polystyrene Nanoplastics Drive β‐Cell Dedifferentiation Through Dendritic Cell‐Intrinsic MHC‐I‐Dependent Inflammatory Crosstalk
- Probabilistic environmental risk assessment of nondissolvable nanomaterials (titanium dioxide, carbon nanotubes, graphene-based materials, polystyrene nanoplastics) in the terrestrial ecosystem
- Lactational exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics is associated with hepatorenal alterations, oxidative stress, and apoptosis-associated changes in male rat offspring
- From compost-amended soil to plant tissues: field quantification of environmentally relevant polystyrene nanoplastics and limited translocation in Holcus lanatus L.
BibTeX
@article{wang2026from,
title = {{From inhibition to recovery: metabolic rebound of Microcystis aeruginosa following pulse exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics}},
author = {Ruiping Wang and Shizhong Yue and Jiafeng Yu and Li Jia and Cevin Tibihenda and Pingping Huang and Zhenghua Li},
journal = {BMC Microbiology},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1186/s12866-026-05260-9},
url = {https://insu.hal.science/insu-05750155v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - From inhibition to recovery: metabolic rebound of Microcystis aeruginosa following pulse exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics
AU - Ruiping Wang
AU - Shizhong Yue
AU - Jiafeng Yu
AU - Li Jia
AU - Cevin Tibihenda
AU - Pingping Huang
AU - Zhenghua Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/08
JO - BMC Microbiology
DO - 10.1186/s12866-026-05260-9
UR - https://insu.hal.science/insu-05750155v1
AB - Nanoplastics (NPs) are an emerging global environmental concern. While extensive research has focused on the toxicological effects of NPs on microalgae, the post-exposure consequences remain largely unexplored. In this study, Microcystis aeruginosa was exposed to 5 and 50 mg/L of polystyrene (PS) for 15 days, followed by a 15-day post-exposure period in PS-free medium. Exposure to 5 mg/L PS did not significantly affect growth, phycobiliprotein content, or oxidative stress responses. In contrast, 50 mg/L PS significantly inhibited algal growth and impaired photosynthetic capacity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that this toxicity was underpinned by a broad downregulation of central energy metabolism, including photosynthesis, glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Notably, following the removal of PS, M. aeruginosa exhibited a remarkable recovery capacity driven by metabolic rebound. This was manifested as a robust upregulation of previously suppressed pathways, particularly the pentose phosphate pathway and oxidative phosphorylation, facilitating a substantial, though potentially incomplete, restoration of physiological function. These findings highlight the metabolic resilience of M. aeruginosa and underscore the importance of considering post-exposure phases in ecological risk assessments of NPs.
SN - 1471-2180
ER -