Acceleration
of seed germination by metal nanoparticles
Basil seed germination on glass
beads immerged in (A) water,
(B) water + PNC, (C) water + proteons.
Proteons, small particles of misfolded
proteins (40-250 nm) polymerized around inorganic
PNCs, were found in animal and human blood, plants,
and soil. Proteons form by reversible seeded aggregation
of proteins around protein nucleating centers
(PNCs). PNCs are comprised of 1–2-nm metallic
nanoclusters containing 40–300 atoms.
A
B
C
A – water, B - water + PNC, C - water +
proteons
