Plant-derived antifungal compounds trigger a common transcriptional response

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Molecular Biology
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Mycosis poses a significant global health threat, causing over 1.3 million deaths annually.
• Understanding antifungal drug mechanisms is crucial for effective mycosis management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the common molecular Mode-of-Action (MoA) of three plant-derived antifungal compounds: resveratrol, honokiol, and osthole.
• To investigate the molecular responses triggered by these compounds in *Schizosaccharomyces pombe* (S. pombe) yeast.

Main Methods:

• Transcriptomics and bioinformatics analysis were employed to study gene expression changes.
• Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and functional annotation were used to interpret transcriptional data.

Main Results:

• A common transcriptional response was observed, with 72 genes commonly up-regulated and 10 genes commonly down-regulated by the antifungal compounds.
• Up-regulated genes were associated with oxidative stress response, sugar metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and glycolysis.
• Down-regulated genes were linked to nucleosome assembly, transcription, and RNA processing.

Conclusions:

• The common MoA involves strengthened anti-oxidative cell adaptation and a faster metabolic rate.
• A generally suppressed gene transcriptional activity was noted, suggesting a redistribution of intracellular resources.
• These findings provide insights into the molecular basis of antifungal activity for plant-derived compounds.