Alcohols lower the threshold temperature for the maximal activation of a heat shock expression vector in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

• Published in: Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) 1994-09, Vol.140 (9), p.2225-2228
• Main Authors: Curran, Brendan P. G, Khalawan, S. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Action of physical and chemical agents; Alcohols - chemistry; Alcohols - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal - drug effects; Genetic Vectors; Heat-Shock Proteins - genetics; Microbiology; Mycology; Promoter Regions, Genetic - drug effects; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - drug effects; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Structure-Activity Relationship; Temperature
• ISSN: 1350-0872; 1465-2080
• DOI: 10.1099/13500872-140-9-2225

School of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary and Westfield College, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK ABSTRACT When the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is exposed to elevated growth temperatures, genes containing a heat shock element (HSE) in their promoters are activated. This study demonstrates that alcohols lower the temperature required for the maximal activation of such a promoter and that the concentration of alcohol required decreases as its hydrophobicity increases. A similar correlation has been found between the members of this alcohol series and their effect on a range of membrane functions. Our results therefore indicate that perturbation of the cell membrane may play a role in the heat induced activation of this HSE-containing promoter. Author for correspondence: Brendan P. G. Curran. Fax: [phone]. Keywords: Saccharomyces cerevisiae , heat shock response, heat shock element, cell membrane, alcohols