The impact of Bisphenol A on the endophytic bacterial community and transcriptome of soybean seedlings

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely acknowledged as an endocrine disruptor, and its toxicological effects have garnered considerable research interest. In this investigation, a soil pot experiment was conducted to examine the consequences of sustained BPA exposure on the growth of soybean seedlings, the transcriptome, and the endophytic bacterial community. We observed a substantial inhibition in soybean seedling growth. Transcriptome analysis showed that growth-related genes in both leaves and roots were markedly downregulated following BPA treatment. Intriguingly, BPA considerably increased the abundance and diversity of endophytic bacteria in leaves while suppressing beta diversity in roots. A significant association was identified between amplicon sequence variants and differentially expressed genes under BPA treatment in the leaves and roots. These findings illuminate the effects of continuous exposure to BPA on the transcriptome and endophyte of soybean seedlings, which may collectively impair soybean seedling growth, offering valuable insights into BPA toxicity in plants.