The emerging contaminant Cl-PFAES/F-53B induces nucleus instability leading to disrupted root development in Arabidopsis

The emerging contaminant chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonate (Cl-PFAES/F-53B) has been detected from many plant species, which raises serious concerns for its global contamination and threats to agriculture and ecology security. However, the impacts of F-53B on plant development and the underpinning mechanisms remain largely unelucidated. In this study, by using molecular biology, cytogenetics, and fluorescence microscopy approaches, we analyzed seedling development in Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to an increasing concentration of F-53B (20, 50 and 100 μM). We show that F-53B prohibits root elongation by inducing nuclei stability and cell unviability predominantly at the meristematic zone in a dosage-dependent manner. Disrupted cell wall formation and microtubule-mediated cell plate assembly in meristem cells reveal that F-53B is toxic to cell division and cytoskeleton organization. Notably, we show that F-53B does not trigger double-strand breaks but evokes autophagy-mediated cellular responses, which suggests that the impact of F-53B on DNA stability varies across species. Moreover, we show that F-53B and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have different impacts on seedling develompent, which unveils that F-53B-disrupted root development is not caused by ROS-induced cell damage. This study provides cytogenetic and molecular insights into the toxicity of F-53B to plant cells. • F-53B inhibits root elongation and cell division in Arabidopsis seedlings. • F-53B damages cell viability predominantly at the meristematic zone. • F-53B does not induce double-strand breaks and ROS in Arabidopsis seedlings. • F-53B induces nuclei unviability and triggers autophagy in seedlings. • F-53B and ROS reveal different impacts on root development.