Alcohols lower the threshold temperature for the maximal activation of a heat shock expression vector in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
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.
School of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary and Westfield College, London, UK.
B P
BP
Curran
S A
SA
Khalawan
D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013696:Temperature
D000438:Alcohols; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins