INCREASED STRESS PARAMETER SYNTHESIS IN THE YEAST SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE AFTER TREATMENT WITH 4-HYDROXY-2-NONENAL

The metabolism of glutathione (GSH), a marker of oxidative stress and trehalose, a rather general physiological stress marker, was examined in exponentially growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells after treatmen t with 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE). GSH was entirely depleted within a 2 h incubation with 250 mu M HME. After removal of the aldehyde it was rep lenished by de novo synthesis leading to an overshooting GSH level, wh ich later decreased to the basal level. In addition, trehalose was ele vated 4-fold in HNE-treated yeast cells compared to control cells, We conclude that increased GSH levels upon HNE treatment are a general ph enomenon of eukaryotic cells to ensure protection and survival during further harsh conditions, Furthermore, we have discovered a new indica tion for the stress marker trehalose in S, cevevisiae. (C) 1997 Federa tion of European Biochemical Societies.