Gene expression comparison among Δzms1, Δzms2, and wild type Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
by Lisa Brown and Paul Arsenovic
Abstract
An excess of damaging free radicals present in a cell can result in oxidative stress that can be detrimental to a cell's function. Cells can utilize anti-oxidants to reduce these free radicals and therefore prevent cellular damage. NADPH is an antioxidant that plays an important role in combating oxidative stress and is a key player in the glutamate catabolic pathway. By using a microarray to study gene expression, we found increased expression in ΔZMS2, mutant of Sachromyces cerevisiae, of the gene uga1. uga1 codes for gamma aminobutyric acid transminase, an important factor in the reduction of NADP to NADPH. Interestingly, succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase,a molecule required towards the end of the NADPH pathway, is coded by a gene (uga5) up-regulated in ΔZMS2 and down-regulated in ΔZMS1. This result indicates that ΔZMS2 mutants utilize the NADPH pathway in response to oxidative stress however, ΔZMS1 mutants utilize an alternative pathway, such as the pentose phosphate pathway.
Slide # 726
ΔZMS1-Green
ΔZMS2-Red