BIOSYNTHESIZED METALLIC NANOPARTICLES FOR MITIGATION OF ABIOTIC STRESS IN MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANT CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS: A BIOINFORMATICS AND IN SILICO APPROACH

Abstract

In addition to the natural environment's effects on growing conditions and plant development, there are many abiotic factors that can limit the growth and productivity of medicinal and aromatic plants. Such abiotic stressors include salinity, drought, heat, or metal toxicity. Researchers have identified metallic nanoparticles biosynthesized via environmentally or ecologically safe methods as an alternate, more sustainable means of enhancing the tolerance of plants to these types of environmental stresses. The present study will investigate how metallic nanoparticles synthesized through biosynthesis can help protect the medicinal and aromatic plant species Cymbopogon citratus from the negative impacts of abiotic stress and find out if they can eliminate those negative effects. Bioinformatics and in silico methods were employed to achieve the following objectives: 1) To identify stress-responsive proteins involved in oxidative stress protection; and 2) To evaluate the identified proteins in terms of their function and interactions with metallic nanoparticles. This was accomplished by using computational resources to predict protein structures, assess molecular docking between the respective metallic nanoparticles and targeted proteins, and therefore evaluate the potential effectiveness of using metallic nanoparticles to mitigate the effects of abiotic stresses on medicinal and aromatic plants. Laboratory studies were conducted to further investigate the interaction of metallic nanoparticles with target proteins and help to explain the molecular mechanisms for the ability of biosynthesized nanoparticles to mitigate abiotic stresses. In summary, findings from this study indicate that the biosynthesized metallic nanoparticles will enhance plant resilience to abiotic stress by regulating the antioxidative defense mechanisms and pathways involved in plant response to abiotic stress. This research provides evidence for the application of nanobiotechnology and bioinformatics to develop sustainable solutions that enhance the ability of plants to endure environmental stressors.