Researchers at SMART develop cutting-edge nanosensor spotting iron tracking in plants instantly.
Scientists at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT's research enterprise in Singapore, in collaboration with Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and MIT, haveannounced the development of a revolutionary near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent nanosensor. This groundbreaking technology is capable of simultaneously detecting and differentiating between two forms of iron—Fe(II) and Fe(III)—in living plants, offering significant benefits for agriculture and plant health.
Iron is vital for plant growth and development, supporting processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and enzyme function. However, iron mainly exists in two forms within plants: Fe(II) and Fe(III). While Fe(II) is readily available for plants to utilize, Fe(III) must first be converted into Fe(II) before plants can effectively absorb it. Traditional methods for measuring iron levels in plants do not differentiate between these forms, which is crucial for understanding iron uptake efficiency and diagnosing deficiencies or toxicities.
The newly developed nanosensor allows for real-time, nondestructive monitoring of iron uptake, transport, and changes between its different forms in living plants. Its high spatial resolution enables precise localization of iron in plant tissues or subcellular compartments, allowing the measurement of even minute changes in iron levels within plants — changes that can inform how a plant handles stress and uses nutrients.
This new technology enables the diagnosis of deficiencies and the optimization of fertilization strategies, making it possible to enhance plant health, reduce waste, and support more sustainable agriculture. The nanosensor was tested on spinach and bok choy, but it is species-agnostic, meaning it can be applied across a diverse range of plant species without genetic modification. This versatility enhances our understanding of iron dynamics in various ecological settings, providing comprehensive insights into plant health and nutrient management.
"Iron is essential for plant growth and development, but monitoring its levels in plants has been a challenge," said Duc Thinh Khong, DiSTAP research scientist and co-lead author of the paper. "This breakthrough sensor is the first of its kind to detect both Fe(II) and Fe(III) in living plants with real-time, high-resolution imaging. With this technology, we can ensure plants receive the right amount of iron, improving crop health and agricultural sustainability."
The research is based on the Corona Phase Molecular Recognition (CoPhMoRe) platform, pioneered by the Strano Lab at SMART DiSTAP and MIT. The new nanosensor features single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) wrapped in a negatively charged fluorescent polymer, forming a helical corona phase structure that interacts differently with Fe(II) and Fe(III). Upon introduction into plant tissues and interaction with iron, the sensor emits distinct NIR fluorescence signals based on the iron type, enabling real-time tracking of iron movement and chemical changes.
"In enabling non-destructive real-time tracking of iron speciation in plants, this sensor opens new avenues for understanding plant iron metabolism and the implications of different iron variations for plants," said Grace Tan, TLL research scientist and co-lead author of the paper. "Such knowledge will help guide the development of tailored management approaches to improve crop yield and more cost-effective soil fertilization strategies."
The research, recently published in Nano Letters and titled "Nanosensor for Fe(II) and Fe(III) Allowing Spatiotemporal Sensing in Planta," is carried out by SMART and supported by the National Research Foundation under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise program. Beyond agriculture, this nanosensor holds promise for environmental monitoring, food safety, and health sciences, particularly in studying iron metabolism, iron deficiency, and iron-related diseases in humans and animals. Future research will focus on leveraging this nanosensor to advance fundamental plant studies on iron homeostasis, nutrient signaling, and redox dynamics. Efforts are also underway to integrate the nanosensor into automated nutrient management systems for hydroponic and soil-based farming and expand its functionality to detect other essential micronutrients. These advancements aim to enhance sustainability, precision, and efficiency in agriculture.
- This collaboration between SMART, TLL, and MIT has led to the development of a nanosensor for simultaneous detection and differentiation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in plants, benefiting agriculture and plant health.
- The nanosensor allows for real-time, nondestructive monitoring of iron uptake, transport, and changes between its forms, offering insights into plant nutrient management and stress handling.
- The technology's high spatial resolution enables precise localization of iron in plant tissues or subcellular compartments, making minute changes in iron levels detectable.
- This new nanosensor can diagnose deficiencies and optimize fertilization strategies, enhancing plant health, reducing waste, and supporting more sustainable agriculture.
- The versatile nanosensor, tested on spinach and bok choy, is species-agnostic and can be applied across various plant species without genetic modification.
- The research, based on the Corona Phase Molecular Recognition (CoPhMoRe) platform, improves our understanding of iron dynamics in diverse ecological settings, providing comprehensive insights into plant health and nutrient management.
- Beyond agriculture, this nanosensor holds potential for environmental monitoring, food safety, and health sciences, particularly in studying iron metabolism, iron deficiency, and iron-related diseases in humans and animals.
- The research, published in Nano Letters, focuses on advancing fundamental plant studies on iron homeostasis, nutrient signaling, and redox dynamics.
- Future research will integrate the nanosensor into automated nutrient management systems for hydroponic and soil-based farming, aiming to improve sustainability, precision, and efficiency in agriculture.
- Efforts are underway to expand the nanosensor's functionality to detect other essential micronutrients, contributing to health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, food-and-drink, and home-and-garden domains, while promoting education-and-self-development in these areas.
