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Endocrine-disrupting plasticizer Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure causes change in behavioral attributes in Drosophila melanogaster

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Abstract

Objective and methods

The effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) on selected behaviors of Drosophila melanogaster, namely larval feeding rate, larval foraging ability, adult climbing ability and courtship display, were tested by rearing the flies for 30 successive generations by exposing the third instar larvae to two different sublethal doses (0.007 g/2 ml and 0.010 g/2 ml).

Results

Our results revealed a significant reduction in feeding rate, foraging path length and frequency of courtship display. Both the treated male and female adults exhibited higher climbing ability at lower concentration (0.007 g/2 ml) of BPA exposure at 20 s and 30 s of interval, whereas reduced climbing ability was recorded at 10 s of interval in comparison with controls. At higher concentration (0.010 g/2 ml), only the treated females, not males exhibited significant reduced climbing ability at 30 s of interval.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Head, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, for providing facilities to conduct the study. The departmental centralize instrumental facilities are supported by DST-FIST, UGC-UPEII/2018 (University Grants Commission), UGC-PURSE programs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cytogenetics and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Taraknath-Palit-Siksha-Prangan (Ballygunge Science College Campus), 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India

    Morium Begum, Pallab Paul, Debasmita Das & Sujay Ghosh

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  1. Morium Begum
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  2. Pallab Paul
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Correspondence to Sujay Ghosh.

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Conflict of interest

Morium Begum, Pallab Paul, Debasmita Das and Sujay Ghosh declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The use of Drosophila in research is already validated by the “European center for the Validation of alternative methods,” so no such issues of ethical clearance are required.

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Begum, M., Paul, P., Das, D. et al. Endocrine-disrupting plasticizer Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure causes change in behavioral attributes in Drosophila melanogaster. Toxicol. Environ. Health Sci. 12, 237–246 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13530-020-00052-8

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