The interaction between lead sulfide nano-dendrites and Saccharomyce cerevisiae is involved in nanotoxicity

Abstract

As nano-materials (NMs) are incorporated into ecosystems in increasing amounts, it is urgent to understand the impact of these materials on various biological populations. Lead sulfide (PbS) NMs, such as PbS nano-dendrites and nanoparticles, are important semiconductor materials. While PbS nanoparticles have been implicated to be a risk to organisms, the toxicity of PbS nano-dendrites remains unknown. In this study, we tested the toxicity and related mechanisms of two synthesized PbS nano-dendrites to the model organism Saccharomyce cerevisiae. The results demonstrated that the dendrites may interact with the yeast cells, resulting in the degradation of these dendrites and consequent production of nanoparticles. Moreover, this interaction led to severe damage to the yeast cell wall and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, which contribute to the toxicity of the dendrites. These results indicated that the interaction between NMs and the organisms should be included in the studies of nanotoxicity.