The toxic mechanism of tetracycline on root tips in hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum)

Tetracycline (TC) is a commonly used antibiotic that affects various physiological processes in plants. However, its negative effects on plants remain poorly understood at the molecular level. To ascertain the TC toxicity in the roots, transcriptomic, cytological, and physiological analyses were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms of TC influencing the growth of hulless barley root. At a low concentration (1 mg/L), TC promoted root growth by upregulating the genes related to the flavonoid pathway. At high concentrations (10, 100, and 200 mg/L), TC downregulated genes related to homologous recombination in the root meristem zone and inhibited the mitosis index by 16.4%. Disruption of the DNA repair process can lead to chromosomal aberrations, resulting in a 6.8% C-mitosis rate in the most severe cases. Finally, root growth was inhibited by TC, as evidenced by a reduction in root viability, an increase in reactive oxygen species content, and an inhibition of root length. Cross-comparison of physiological and cytological characterizations and transcriptomic information revealed changes in genetic processes under TC stress. Overall, we present an early genetic strategy to study the significant influence of TC stress on roots.