Oxidation-reduction process of Arabidopsis thaliana roots induced by bisphenol compounds based on RNA-seq analysis

Bisphenol compounds (BPs) have various industrial uses and can enter the environment through various sources. To evaluate the ecotoxicity of BPs and identify potential gene candidates involved in the plant toxicity, Arabidopsis thaliana was exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), BPB, BPE, BPF, and BPS at a concentration of 1, 3, 10 mg/L for a duration of 14 days, and their growth status were monitored. At day 14, roots and leaves samples were collected for internal BPs exposure concentration detection, RNA-seq (only roots), and morphological observations. As shown in the results, exposure to BPs significantly disturbed root elongation, exhibiting a trend of stimulation at low concentration and inhibition at high concentration. Additionally, BPs exhibited pronounced generation of reactive oxygen species, while none of the pollutants caused significant changes in root morphology. Internal exposure concentration analysis indicate that BPs tend to accumulate in the roots, with BPS exhibiting the highest level of accumulation. The results of RNA-seq indicate that shared 211 differently expressed genes (DEGs) of these 5 exposure groups are enriched in defense response, generation of precursor metabolites, response to organic substance, response to oxygen-containing, response to hormone, oxidation–reduction process and so on. Regarding unique DEGs in each group, BPS was mainly associated with the redox pathway, BPB primarily influenced seed germination, and in BPA, BPE and BPF were primarily involved in metabolic signaling pathways. Our results provide new insights for BPs induced adverse effects on Arabidopsis thaliana and suggest that the ecological risks associated with BPA alternatives cannot be ignored.