Meeting Abstract

P3.49  Monday, Jan. 6 15:30  Effects of BPA on Growth and Development in Arabidopsis thaliana MATTHEWS, J.M.*; EDWARDS, T.M.; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston jmm104@latech.edu

Anthropogenic activities have resulted in the contamination of terrestrial and aquatic environments with many industrial chemicals, several of which possess endocrine disrupting properties. Bisphenol-A (BPA), an industrial chemical used in the production of plastics, binds estrogen receptors and elicits an estrus response in rodents. Most research has focused on the effects of BPA on humans and wildlife, while very little has been devoted to its effects on plants. Understanding the mechanisms by which BPA affects plant life will allow for the further assessment of the risks of BPA exposure to all aspects of an ecosystem. This project used Arabidopsis thaliana to examine the effects of BPA on plant growth characteristics regulated by flavonoids, cytokinins, and auxins, which work together to determine root and shoot branching patterns. Previous studies illustrate that BPA exhibits cytokinin-like activity in a dose-dependent manner in a cytokinin bioassay. Additionally, some flavonoids exhibit estrogenic activity, suggesting a common mode of action between flavonoids and BPA in plants. We exposed wildtype and flavonoid deficient (transparent testa (tt4-13)) Arabidopsis to environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA early in plant development. The two varieties exhibit very different branching patterns due to variance in flavonoid production. We monitored plant branching patterns and timing of inflorescence formation to determine if BPA could be classified as an endocrine disruptor in plants.