Multi-spectroscopic investigation of ZnO nanoparticle-induced biomolecular alterations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The interaction between nanoparticles and biological systems is a pivotal area of nanotoxicology. This study investigates the biochemical alterations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae induced by Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using FTIR, Raman, ¹H NMR and Fluorescence spectroscopy. Vibrational spectroscopy in the FTIR region revealed significant shifts in protein amide regions and distinct imbalances in lipid metabolism, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Raman spectroscopy further identified variations in glycogen, specific amino acids, and phosphodiester linkages, with curve-fitting of the amide I region confirming changes in protein secondary structure. ¹H NMR data identified nine major metabolites, revealing significant metabolic alterations between control and exposed groups. The observed changes predominantly disrupted amino acid metabolism. Fluorescence spectroscopic assays validated a dose-dependent increase in oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and cytotoxicity, strongly aligning with spectroscopic findings. These findings elucidate the toxicity mechanism of ZnO nanoparticles, driven by oxidative stress and biomolecular damage, demonstrating the critical role of spectroscopic profiling in nanotoxicity assessment.