The H2O2 stimulon in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The changes in gene expression underlying the yeast adaptive stress response to H2O2 were analyzed by comparative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of total cell proteins. The synthesis of at least 115 proteins is stimulated by H2O2, whereas 52 other proteins are repressed by this treatment. We have identified 71 of the stimulated and 44 of the repressed targets. The kinetics and dose-response parameters of the H2O2 genomic response were also analyzed. Identification of these proteins and their mapping into specific cellular processes give a distinct picture of the way in which yeast cells adapt to oxidative stress. As expected, H2O2-responsive targets include an important number of heat shock proteins and proteins with reactive oxygen intermediate scavenging activities. Exposure to H2O2 also results in a slowdown of protein biosynthetic processes and a stimulation of protein degradation pathways. Finally, the most remarkable result inferred from this study is the resetting of carbohydrate metabolism minutes after the exposure to H2O2. Carbohydrate fluxes are redirected to the regeneration of NADPH at the expense of glycolysis. This study represents the first genome-wide characterization of a H2O2-inducible stimulon in a eukaryote.