title: Quercetin protects Saccharomyces cerevisiae against oxidative stress by inducing trehalose biosynthesis and the cell wall integrity pathway.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quercetin is a naturally occurring flavonol with antioxidant, anticancer and anti-ageing properties. In this study we aimed to identify genes differentially expressed in yeast cells treated with quercetin and its role in oxidative stress protection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A microarray analysis was performed to characterize changes in the transcriptome and the expression of selected genes was validated by RT-qPCR. Biological processes significantly affected were identified by using the FUNSPEC software and their relevance in H(2)O(2) resistance induced by quercetin was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genes associated with RNA metabolism and ribosome biogenesis were down regulated in cells treated with quercetin, whereas genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism, endocytosis and vacuolar proteolysis were up regulated. The induction of genes related to the metabolism of energy reserves, leading to the accumulation of the stress protectant disaccharide trehalose, and the activation of the cell wall integrity pathway play a key role in oxidative stress resistance induced by quercetin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that quercetin may act as a modulator of cell signaling pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism and cell integrity to exert its protective effects against oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilaça
authors.forename: Vanda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Marta Vaz
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carreto
authors.forename: Maria Amélia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moradas-Ferreira
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mateus
authors.forename: Vítor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011794:Quercetin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014199:Trehalose / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000975:Antioxidants; D006003:Glycogen; D011794:Quercetin; D014199:Trehalose; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide