304
C. Marquina
of magnetic nanoparticles in Life Sciences fields dealing with plants and microorganisms. Although Nanoscience and Nanotechnology are more and more present
in areas such as plant research, agriculture and agronomy, and the incorporation to
these areas of new strategies and methodologies based on the use of nanoparticles is
growing, the particular case of magnetic nanoparticles is still little explored.
One of the first works dealing with nanoparticles in plant research is the one
carried out by Torney et al. [1] in which mesoporous silica nanoparticles act as vehicles to transport DNA and chemicals into isolated plant cells and intact leaves. The
delivery of DNA by means of mesoporous SiO 2 nanoparticles was studied also by
Martín-Ortigosa et al. making use of different strategies for the penetration of the
nanoparticles into the plant cell [2–4]. Polymeric nanoparticles [5], fluorescent chromophores [6], ZnO nanoparticles [7], among many others have also been used as
carriers for plant cell genetic engineering, one of the most studied applications in plant
research. Another topic that has aroused great interest is the study of how nanoparticles can influence the plant growth and germination and the functionality of plant
cell organelles. Hong et al. studied effect of TiO 2 nanoparticles on the photochemical
reaction of chloroplast of Spinacia oleracea [8], and on the growth of spinach plants
[9]. Recently, Frazier et al. studied the influence of these nanoparticles on the growth
and microRNA expression of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) [10]. The effect of ZnO
nanoparticles on the inhibition of seed germination and root growth was also studied
by Lin and coworkers [11, 12]. Efforts have also been focused on enhancing crop
yields and controlling/suppressing plant diseases and parasites. With these objectives in mind, studies have been carried out with a variety of nanoparticles (made of
polymers, liposomes, 3d-metals and 3d-metal oxides, carbon nanostructures etc.) as
reported for example in the works of Perez de Luque et al. [13], Servin and coworkers
[14] and Yasmeen et al. [15]. For the control of diseases and pests, the rapid and
easy detection of the causative agent is crucial. In this respect, Nanotechnology has
provided us with highly sensitive, versatile, inexpensive and user-friendly biosensors [16–19]. Among the different types, nano-devices based on the localized surface
plasmon resonance (LSPR) have been developed, for example, for the detection of
the maize chlorotic mottle virus in infected maize seeds [20, 21]; or for detecting
biomarkers associated with nutritional deficiencies in crops [22]; or to elucidate the
effect of a T-DNA insertion on mRNA transcripts in plants [23, 24], among other
applications. With regard to microorganisms, the use of micro- and nano-particles
as an antibacterial and antifungal agent is widespread. Silver is one of the most
frequently used materials [25], working for example against phytopathogenic fungi
[26] and bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus [27].
Recent studies carried out on plant pathogenic fungi, oomycete and bacteria, have
shown that copper nanoparticles can enhance the effect of commercial antimicrobial copper formulations and even represent an efficient alternative [28]. Zinc oxide
and magnesium oxide nanoparticles have also demonstrated their effectiveness as
antimicrobials [29–33].
The significant progress made in Biomedicine derived from the use of magnetic
nanoparticles in diagnostic and therapy has opened the doors to their implementation
C. Marquina
of magnetic nanoparticles in Life Sciences fields dealing with plants and microorganisms. Although Nanoscience and Nanotechnology are more and more present
in areas such as plant research, agriculture and agronomy, and the incorporation to
these areas of new strategies and methodologies based on the use of nanoparticles is
growing, the particular case of magnetic nanoparticles is still little explored.
One of the first works dealing with nanoparticles in plant research is the one
carried out by Torney et al. [1] in which mesoporous silica nanoparticles act as vehicles to transport DNA and chemicals into isolated plant cells and intact leaves. The
delivery of DNA by means of mesoporous SiO 2 nanoparticles was studied also by
Martín-Ortigosa et al. making use of different strategies for the penetration of the
nanoparticles into the plant cell [2–4]. Polymeric nanoparticles [5], fluorescent chromophores [6], ZnO nanoparticles [7], among many others have also been used as
carriers for plant cell genetic engineering, one of the most studied applications in plant
research. Another topic that has aroused great interest is the study of how nanoparticles can influence the plant growth and germination and the functionality of plant
cell organelles. Hong et al. studied effect of TiO 2 nanoparticles on the photochemical
reaction of chloroplast of Spinacia oleracea [8], and on the growth of spinach plants
[9]. Recently, Frazier et al. studied the influence of these nanoparticles on the growth
and microRNA expression of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) [10]. The effect of ZnO
nanoparticles on the inhibition of seed germination and root growth was also studied
by Lin and coworkers [11, 12]. Efforts have also been focused on enhancing crop
yields and controlling/suppressing plant diseases and parasites. With these objectives in mind, studies have been carried out with a variety of nanoparticles (made of
polymers, liposomes, 3d-metals and 3d-metal oxides, carbon nanostructures etc.) as
reported for example in the works of Perez de Luque et al. [13], Servin and coworkers
[14] and Yasmeen et al. [15]. For the control of diseases and pests, the rapid and
easy detection of the causative agent is crucial. In this respect, Nanotechnology has
provided us with highly sensitive, versatile, inexpensive and user-friendly biosensors [16–19]. Among the different types, nano-devices based on the localized surface
plasmon resonance (LSPR) have been developed, for example, for the detection of
the maize chlorotic mottle virus in infected maize seeds [20, 21]; or for detecting
biomarkers associated with nutritional deficiencies in crops [22]; or to elucidate the
effect of a T-DNA insertion on mRNA transcripts in plants [23, 24], among other
applications. With regard to microorganisms, the use of micro- and nano-particles
as an antibacterial and antifungal agent is widespread. Silver is one of the most
frequently used materials [25], working for example against phytopathogenic fungi
[26] and bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus [27].
Recent studies carried out on plant pathogenic fungi, oomycete and bacteria, have
shown that copper nanoparticles can enhance the effect of commercial antimicrobial copper formulations and even represent an efficient alternative [28]. Zinc oxide
and magnesium oxide nanoparticles have also demonstrated their effectiveness as
antimicrobials [29–33].
The significant progress made in Biomedicine derived from the use of magnetic
nanoparticles in diagnostic and therapy has opened the doors to their implementation