Fluorescence microscopic analysis of antifungal effects of cold atmospheric pressure plasma in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology 2016-11, Vol.100 (21), p.9295-9304
• Main Authors: Itooka, Koki, Takahashi, Kazuo, Izawa, Shingo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum; Amino acids; Analysis; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Antimicrobial agents; Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology; Atmospheric Pressure; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cell cycle; Cell Nucleus - chemistry; Cold; Cold Temperature; Electric fields; Endoplasmic reticulum; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Fluorescence microscopy; Fungi; Gene Expression Profiling; Health aspects; Heat-Shock Proteins - analysis; Laboratories; Life Sciences; Localization; Methods; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Microscopic analysis; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Oxidation; Oxidative Stress; Plasma; Plasma Gases - pharmacology; Plasmas (Ionized gases); Plasmids; Potassium; Radiation; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - drug effects; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - analysis; Stainless steel; Sterilization; Studies; Transcription Factors - analysis; Yeast; Yeasts
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7783-2

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) has potential to be utilized as an alternative method for sterilization in food industries without thermal damage or toxic residues. In contrast to the bactericidal effects of CAP, information regarding the efficacy of CAP against eukaryotic microorganisms is very limited. Therefore, herein we investigated the effects of CAP on the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae , with a focus on the cellular response to CAP. The CAP treatment caused oxidative stress responses including the nuclear accumulation of the oxidative stress responsive transcription factor Yap1, mitochondrial fragmentation, and enhanced intracellular oxidation. Yeast cells also induced the expression of heat shock protein ( HSP ) genes and formation of Hsp104 aggregates when treated with CAP, suggesting that CAP denatures proteins. As phenomena unique to eukaryotic cells, the formation of cytoplasmic mRNP granules such as processing bodies and stress granules and changes in the intracellular localization of Ire1 were caused by the treatment with CAP, indicating that translational repression and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were induced by the CAP treatment. These results suggest that the fungicidal effects of CAP are attributed to the multiple severe stresses.