Analysis of transcriptional response in haploid and diploid Schizosaccharomyces pombe under genotoxic stress

• Published in: G3 : genes - genomes - genetics 2024-08, Vol.14 (9)
• Main Authors: Park, Joshua M, Forsburg, Susan L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fungal Genetics and Genomics
• ISSN: 2160-1836; 2160-1836
• DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae177

Abstract Whole genome duplications are implicated in genome instability and tumorigenesis. Human and yeast polyploids exhibit increased replication stress and chromosomal instability, both hallmarks of cancer. In this study, we investigate the transcriptional response of Schizosaccharomyces pombe to increased ploidy generally, and in response to treatment with the genotoxin methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). We find that treatment of MMS induces upregulation of genes involved in general response to genotoxins, in addition to cell cycle regulatory genes. Downregulated genes are enriched in transport and sexual reproductive pathways. We find that the diploid response to MMS is muted compared to the haploid response, although the enriched pathways remain largely the same. Overall, our data suggests that the global S. pombe transcriptome doubles in response to increased ploidy but undergoes modest transcriptional changes in both unperturbed and genotoxic stress conditions.In this study, Park and Forsburg investigate the role of ploidy on the S. pombe transcriptome in unperturbed conditions and in response to genotoxic stress. The authors find that the diploid response to MMS is muted compared to the haploid response, although the enriched pathways remain largely the same.