Extraction of pH-Dependent DNA-Binding Anti-Tumoral Peptides from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cancer remains a significant challenge in the field of medicine, primarily due to its inherent plasticity and the development of resistance to conventional therapeutic interventions. Genomic mutations and the activation of oncogenes enable cancer cells to resist senescence and apoptosis, leading to uncontrolled growth with harmful consequences. Small peptides are molecules with interesting anti-tumour properties and represent a valid alternative to conventional treatments. Our group has previously identified a class of small peptides bound to the DNA that can be extracted from the chromatin of various tissues, including wheat germ and trout. These peptide pools have been shown to possess interesting antiproliferative and apoptotic properties, and they are associated with cell cycle regulation. However, given the complexity of the extraction process, it is necessary to identify a substrate that will enable a more efficient extraction of these peptides, while also ensuring a composition that is simple to investigate. The present study developed a method for the extraction of this group of peptides from yeast, and the extract was then tested on cancer cells in order to confirm its anti-tumoral properties. The peptides were obtained from chromatin extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells through alkalisation and purification by gel filtration chromatography. The extract was tested on HeLa cells to verify its effects on vitality and the cell cycle. The data demonstrate that the chromatographic profile of this peptide extract indicates a more basic composition than the pool extracted from other tissues and exhibits comparable antiproliferative properties. The ability to rapidly obtain a biologically active, analytically accessible, and adequately purified fraction from the widely available substrate Saccharomyces cerevisiae represents a significant advance in the study of these DNA-binding peptides.