Comprehensive gene expression analysis of the response to straight-chain alcohols in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using cDNA microarray

Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the gene expression profiles of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae subjected to straight-chain alcohols. Methods and Results: Lipophilic alcohols with high log Pow values were more toxic to yeast than those with low log Pow values. Morphological changes after exposure to ethanol, 1-pentanol, 1-octanol were observed, whereas n-pentane as a model hydrocarbon affected the surface of the outer membrane, with little change in organelles. Using cDNA microarrays, quite a few up-regulated gene categories were classified into the category 'cell rescue, defence and virulence' by ethanol, and the category 'energy' and 'metabolism' by 1-pentanol. Meanwhile, the characteristic genes up-regulated by n-pentane were not observed, and the expression profile was distantly related to ethanol, 1-pentanol and 1-octanol. Conclusions: This study suggests that gene expression profiles at the whole genome level were intimately associated with the cell growth inhibition and morphological changes by straight-chain alcohols with differing log Pow values. Significance and Impact of the Study: The study of comprehensive gene expression profiles by cDNA microarrays elucidates the straight-chain alcohol adaptation mechanisms.