Transcriptomic analysis of cobalt stress in the marine yeast Debaryomyces hansenii.

Yariela Guma Cintron's picture
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TitleTranscriptomic analysis of cobalt stress in the marine yeast Debaryomyces hansenii.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsGumá-Cintrón, Y, Bandyopadhyay, A, Rosado, W, Shu-Hu, W, Nadathur, GS
JournalFEMS Yeast Res
Volume15
Issue8
Date Published2015 Dec
ISSN1567-1364
Abstract

The yeast Debaryomyces hansenii overproduces riboflavin upon exposure to subtoxic levels of cobalt (Co(+2)). However, mechanisms for survival have yet to be studied and have been hindered by D. hansenii's high genetic heterogeneity among strains. In this study, we used transcriptomic analyses and RNA-seq in order to identify differentially expressed genes in D. hansenii in response to cobalt exposure. Highly upregulated genes under this condition were identified to primarily comprise DNA damage and repair genes, oxidative stress response genes, and genes for cell wall integrity and growth. The main response of D. hansenii to heavy metal stress is the activation of non-enzymatic oxidative stress response mechanisms and control of biological production of reactive oxygen species. Our results indicate that D. hansenii does not seem to be pre-adapted to survive high concentrations of heavy metals. These organisms appear to possess genetic survival and detoxification mechanisms that enable the cells to recover from heavy metal stress.

DOI10.1093/femsyr/fov099
Alternate JournalFEMS Yeast Res.
PubMed ID26546454
Grant ListR25GM088023 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States

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Yariela Guma Cintron's picture

This paper was published

This paper was published during my time as an MS student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, Department of Marine Sciences. The work outlined in the publications comprises of the research performed as part of my master's thesis in the area of Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics.