Genetic basis of arsenite and cadmium tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Journal article, 2009

BACKGROUND: Arsenic and cadmium are widely distributed in nature and pose serious threats to the environment and human health. Exposure to these nonessential toxic metals may result in a variety of human diseases including cancer. However, arsenic and cadmium toxicity targets and the cellular systems contributing to tolerance acquisition are not fully known. RESULTS: To gain insight into metal action and cellular tolerance mechanisms, we carried out genome-wide screening of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae haploid and homozygous diploid deletion mutant collections and scored for reduced growth in the presence of arsenite or cadmium. Processes found to be required for tolerance to both metals included sulphur and glutathione biosynthesis, environmental sensing, mRNA synthesis and transcription, and vacuolar/endosomal transport and sorting. We also identified metal-specific defence processes. Arsenite-specific defence functions were related to cell cycle regulation, lipid and fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, and the cytoskeleton whereas cadmium-specific defence functions were mainly related to sugar/carbohydrate metabolism, and metal-ion homeostasis and transport. Molecular evidence indicated that the cytoskeleton is targeted by arsenite and that phosphorylation of the Snf1p kinase is required for cadmium tolerance. CONCLUSION: This study has pin-pointed core functions that protect cells from arsenite and cadmium toxicity. It also emphasizes the existence of both common and specific defence systems. Since many of the yeast genes that confer tolerance to these agents have homologues in humans, similar biological processes may act in yeast and humans to prevent metal toxicity and carcinogenesis.

Mutation

Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases

Fungal

Arsenites

genetics

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cadmium

toxicity

metabolism

Genome

metabolism

Stress

metabolism

Cytoskeleton

genetics

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins

Humans

Oxidative Stress

metabolism

Gene Expression Profiling

toxicity

Phosphorylation

Physiological

Haploidy

Author

Michael Thorsen

University of Gothenburg

Gabriel G Perrone

University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Erik Kristiansson

University of Gothenburg

Mathew Traini

University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Tian Ye

University of Gothenburg

Ian W Dawes

University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Olle Nerman

University of Gothenburg

Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematical Statistics

Markus J. Tamás

University of Gothenburg

BMC Genomics

14712164 (eISSN)

Vol. 10 105- 105

Subject Categories

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Genetics

DOI

10.1186/1471-2164-10-105

PubMed

19284616

More information

Latest update

4/5/2022 6