SGD Paper 
Rao A, et al. (2010) Mechanism of Antifungal Activity of Terpenoid Phenols Resembles Calcium Stress and Inhibition of the TOR Pathway. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 54(12):5062-9
Abstract: Terpenoid phenols, including carvacrol, are components of plant essential oils that exhibit potent antifungal activity against a wide range of pathogens, including Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To gain a mechanistic view of the cellular response to terpenoid phenols, we used Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism and monitored temporal changes in metabolic activity, cytosolic and vacuolar pH and Ca(2+) transients. Using a panel of related compounds, we observed dose dependent Ca(2+) bursts that correlated with antifungal efficacy. Changes in pH were long lasting and followed the Ca(2+) transients. A vma mutant lacking functional V-ATPase and defective in ion homeostasis was hypersensitive to carvacrol toxicity, consistent with a role for ionic disruptions in mediating cell death. Genomic profiling within 15 min. of exposure revealed a robust transcriptional response to carvacrol, closely resembling that of calcium stress. Genes involved in alternate metabolic and energy pathways, stress response, autophagy and drug efflux were prominently up regulated whereas repressed genes mediated ribosome biogenesis and RNA metabolism. These responses were strongly reminiscent of the effects of rapamycin, the inhibitor of TOR pathway of nutrient sensing. The results point to the activation of specific signaling pathways downstream of cellular interaction with carvacrol, rather than a non-specific lesion of membranes as has been previously proposed.
| Status: Published | Type: Journal Article | PubMed ID: 20921304 |
Topics addressed in this paper
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| Topics | Topics not linked to Genes | Genes linked to topics |
|---|---|---|
| VMA2 | ||
| Cell Growth and Metabolism | 
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| Genomic expression study |
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| Infection and Antifungals |
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| Mutants/Phenotypes |  | |
| Omics |
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| Primary Literature | | |
| Strains/Constructs | |
