Real-time Monitoring of Non-specific Toxicity Using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Reporter System

Sensors

Anna-Liisa Välimaa²  Anniina Kivistö²  Marko Virta¹ 

[1] Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology Division of Microbiology, P.O. Box 56, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; E-Mails:;Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI- 33101 Tampere, Finland; E-Mails:

关键词: Luciferase reporter gene;    Photinus pyralis;    bioluminescence;    rapamycin;    toxic metal;   

DOI  :  10.3390/s8106433

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is the simplest and most well-known representative of eukaryotic cells and thus a convenient model organism for evaluating toxic effects in human cells and tissues. Yeast cell sensors are easy to maintain with short generation times, which makes the analytical method of assessing antifungal toxicity cheap and less-time consuming. In this work, the toxicity of test compounds was assessed in bioassays based on bioluminescence inhibition and on traditional growth inhibition on agar plates. The model organism in both tests was a modified S. cerevisiae sensor strain that produces light when provided with D-luciferin in an insect luciferase reporter gene activity assay. The bioluminescence assay showed toxic effects for yeast cell sensor of 5,6-benzo-flavone, rapamycin, nystatin and cycloheximide at concentrations of nM to μM. In addition, arsenic compounds, cadmium chloride, copper sulfate and lead acetate were shown to be potent non-specific inhibitors of the reporter organism described here. The results from a yeast agar diffusion assay correlated with the bioluminescence assay results.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2008 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.