Microarray analysis of differentially expressed gene responses to bisphenol A in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Environmental levels of bisphenol A (BPA) are a global concern because the compound can cause damage to reproductive organs, the thyroid gland, and brain tissues at developmental stages. Plants are important in removing BPA from the atmosphere, soil, and water. However, knowledge on the mechanism by which plants respond to this compound is limited. To determine the response mechanism of plants to BPA, we used a microarray system to analyze the gene expression patterns of Arabidopsis thaliana after irrigation with 3.0 mM BPA. We identified 651 genes that were differentially expressed upregulated and 470 genes that were downregulated by BPA. These genes may specifically contribute to BPA uptake, transformation, conjugation, and compartmentation in plants. The potential function of upregulated genes in plant defense against BPA was also determined.