Multigenerational Exposure to Nanomaterials Induces Transgenerational Memory without Detectable Genetic Alterations in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

The increasing exposure of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in agriculture, whether intentional or unintended, has led to growing concerns about their long-term biological impacts. While short-term nanomaterial exposure effects have been extensively studied, the multigenerational effects and potential transgenerational inheritance remain poorly understood. Here, we systematically investigated the biological effects of long-term nanomaterial exposure across multiple plant generations using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system. Five chemically distinct nanomaterials (carbon dots, SiO_2, TiO₂, Fe₃O₄ and graphene oxide) were applied through root exposure for five consecutive generations (T₁-T₅), followed by a nanomaterial-free recovery generation (T₆). Whole-genome sequencing revealed no detectable genetic alterations in ENM-parental-exposed T₆ plants compared to the parental-unexposed T₆ control ones. Strikingly, transcriptional profiling found significant changes in gene expression, and the expression differences almost align with the phenotypic traits observed in the nanomaterial-treated T₁ generation. Phenotypic traits, such as enhanced biomass accumulation originally induced in T₁ -T₅ generations persisted in T₆ plants despite nanomaterial withdrawal, suggesting the occurrence of transgenerational memory. Our findings provide the first experimental evidence that multigenerational exposure to these five nanomaterials induces no detectable genetic alterations but transgenerational memory in Arabidopsis thaliana, offering new insights for sustainable nano-agriculture development.