Physiological and molecular responses in halotolerant Dunaliella salina exposed to molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles

Molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles (MoS2 NPs) has emerged as the promising nanomaterial with a wide array of applications in the biomedical, industrial and environmental field. However, the potential effect of MoS2 NPs on marine organisms has yet to be reported. In this study, the effect of MoS2 NPs on the physiological index, subcellular morphology, transcriptomic profiles of the marine microalgae Dunaliella salina was investigated for the first time. exhibited “doping-like” effects on marine microalgae; Growth stimulation was 193.55%, and chlorophyll content increased 1.61-fold upon the addition of 50 μg/L MoS2 NPs. Additionally, exposure to MoS2 NPs significantly increased the protein and carbohydrate content by 2.03- and 1.56-fold, respectively. The antioxidant system was activated as well to eliminate the adverse influence of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that genes involved in porphyrin synthesis, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle and DNA replication were upregulated upon MoS2 NPs exposure, which supports the mechanistic role of MoS2 NPs in improving cellular growth and photosynthesis. The “doping-like” effects on marine algae suggest that the low concentration of MoS2 NPs might change the rudimentary ecological composition in the ocean.