DNA Cleavage by Chemically Exfoliated Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets

Chemically exfoliated MoS₂ (ce-MoS₂) nanosheets have been widely used in biomedical and environmental fields. Some in vitro studies demonstrated that ce-MoS₂ might induce toxicity. However, the understanding of the mechanism of potential toxicity is lacking. In this study, we found that ce-MoS₂ could directly induce breakage of double-stranded DNA with or without an external energy input, making it different from other two-dimensional nanomaterials. In a dark environment, the DNA cleavage exhibited a pH-dependent trend due to reactive oxygen species generation under different pH values. Under photoirradiation, DNA cleavage could be enhanced. This study provides insights into the potential environmental risk and toxicity of ce-MoS₂ in the aquatic environment.