Genome-wide Response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae upon Arsenate Exposure

Arsenic metalloid is a double-edge sword. On the one hand it is a very toxic and powerful carcinogen, and on the other it has been successfully used in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia. In order to prevent the deleterious effects caused by arsenic compounds, almost all living organisms have developed mechanisms to eliminate it. In this study genome-wide response of S. cerevisiae to arsenic shows that this metal interferes with genes involved in the iron homeostasis including those encoding proteins that function in iron uptake, incorporation into FeS clusters, and more. In addition our data indicate that Yap1 transcriptionally controls the iron homeostasis regulator AFT2 as well as its direct target, MRS4. Most importantly in response to arsenate exposure Yap1 strongly regulates the expression of several genes involved in the Fe-S proteins biosynthesis, namely NBP35 and YFH1. Interestingly mRNA levels encoding Fet3, Ferro-O2-oxidoreductase required for high-affinity iron uptake, are drastically destabilized upon arsenic exposure. Such destabilization is due to the 5 to 3 exonuclease Xrn1 localized in the P Bodies. Moreover FET3 mRNA decay is not mediated by Cth2 and is independent on the formation of ROS responsible for the toxic effects of arsenic compounds. Strikingly, in presence of arsenate fet3 mutant shows resistance over the wild-type which leads us to suggest that Fet3 has a role in arsenic toxicity. Unexpectedly arsenic treatment seems to activate the non-reductive iron uptake in order to maintain the cellular iron homeostasis. Furthermore our genetic, biochemical, and physiological analysis demonstrate that aft1 mutant is sensitive to arsenic compounds and such phenotype is reversible upon addition of iron. We also show that arsenic exposure induces iron deficiency in aft1 mutant. In conclusion this work shows for the first time that arsenic, a chemotherapy drug used to treat a specific type of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), disrupts iron homeostasis and our results suggest that this disruption is independent on ROS generation. Finally we provide preliminary data confirming that such disruption also takes place in mammalian cells, an observation that can be very relevant in term of clinical applications.

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Ferreira RT, Silva AR, Pimentel C, Batista-Nascimento L, Rodrigues-Pousada C, Menezes RA