Testicular transcript responses in rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus following different concentrations bisphenol A exposure

• Testicular transcriptome of adult male rare minnow was analyzed in response to BPA.
• Steroid hormone, BTB, proteolysis, and lipid metabolism related genes were altered.
• BPA at 1 μg/L possibly initiate mER.
• 1 and 15 μg/L BPA inhibited tRNA processing-related genes expression.
• 15 and 225 μg/L BPA decreased hemostasis and blood coagulation-related gene expression.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely spread in the environment. It can cause various reproductive disrupting effects on different organisms, including fish. To investigate the effect of BPA at different concentrations comprehensively, RNA-seq was performed on the testicular mRNA libraries of adult male rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus that exposed to 0, 1, 15 and 225 μg/L BPA for 7 days. Meanwhile, biological indicators and sex steroid hormone levels were investigated. Result showed that (1) BPA at all three concentrations affected the expression of genes related to testicular steroid hormone biosynthesis, blood-testis barrier, proteolysis, and lipid transport and metabolism. (2) BPA at 1 μg/L induced gene expression in renin-angiotensin system pathway and possibly initiate membrane form of estrogen receptor (mER); 1 and 15 μg/L BPA inhibited tRNA processing-related genes expression; 15 and 225 μg/L BPA decreased hemostasis and blood coagulation-related gene expression. The present study indicated that BPA did influence rare minnow testicular gene expressing, and the effect BPA effects varied with concentration.