title: Polyamine deficiency leads to accumulation of reactive oxygen species in a spe2Delta mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
abstract: We have previously shown that polyamine-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae are very sensitive to incubation in oxygen. The current studies show that, even under more physiological conditions (i.e. growth in air), polyamine-deficient cells accumulate reactive oxygen species (ROS). These cells develop an apoptotic phenotype and, after incubation in polyamine-deficient medium, die. To show a specific effect of polyamines on ROS accumulation, uncomplicated by any effects on growth, spermine was added to spermidine-deficient spe2Delta fms1Delta cells, since spermine does not affect the growth of this strain. In this strain, spermine addition caused a marked, but not complete, decrease in the accumulation of ROS and a moderate protection against cell death. In other experiments with polyamine-deficient cells containing plasmids that overexpress superoxide dismutases (SOD1, SOD2), ROS decreased but with only a partial protection against cell death. Polyamine-deficient cells incubated anaerobically show markedly less cell death. These data show that part of the function of polyamines is protection of the cells from accumulation of ROS.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Building 8, Room 223, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Manas K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: Celia White
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tabor
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tabor
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009154:Mutation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013095:Spermidine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013096:Spermine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012235:Rhodamines; C058319:dihydrorhodamine 123; D013096:Spermine; C037631:2',7'-dichlorofluorescein; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D013095:Spermidine