Phthalate impacts egg formation in C. elegans, leading to irregular chromosome numbers.
A current research carried out on roundworms has found {that a} frequent plastic ingredient could cause DNA strand breaks, resulting in egg cells with an irregular variety of chromosomes. The analysis, led by Monica Colaiácovo from Harvard Medical College, was just lately printed within the journal PLOS Genetics.
Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) is a chemical that makes plastic extra versatile and sturdy, and is discovered in lots of shopper merchandise, together with meals packaging, private care merchandise, and youngsters’s toys. Earlier research have proven that BBP interferes with the physique’s hormones and impacts human replica and improvement, however the particulars of the way it impacts replica have been unclear.
Experimental Method
Within the new research, researchers examined a spread of doses of BBP on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and seemed for irregular adjustments in egg cells. They noticed that at ranges much like these detected in people, BBP interferes with how newly copied chromosomes are distributed into the intercourse cells. Particularly, BBP causes oxidative stress and breaks within the DNA strands, which result in cell dying and egg cells with the incorrect variety of chromosomes.
Based mostly on these findings, the researchers suggest that BBP publicity alters gene expression in ways in which trigger vital harm to the DNA, in the end resulting in lower-quality egg cells with irregular chromosomes. The research additionally confirmed that C. elegans metabolizes BBP in the identical means as mammals, and is impacted at related BBP ranges that happen in people, suggesting that C. elegans is an efficient mannequin for learning the impacts in folks. General, the research underscores the poisonous nature of this quite common plastic ingredient and the harm it causes to animal replica.
The authors summarize: “Right here, analyzing the feminine germline within the nematode C. elegans, this research discovered {that a} degree of publicity throughout the vary detected in human serum and urine, alters gene expression linking elevated germline oxidative stress with compromised genomic integrity and errors in meiotic chromosome segregation.”
Reference: “Publicity to benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) results in elevated double-strand break formation and germline dysfunction in Caenorhabditis elegans” by Ayana L. Henderson, Rajendiran Karthikraj, Emma L. Berdan, Shannan Ho Sui, Kurunthachalam Kannan and Monica P. Colaiácovo, 24 October 2024, PLOS Genetics.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011434