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Qi L, Zhu YX, Wang YK, Tang XX, Li KJ, He M, Sui Y, Wang PM, Zheng DQ, Zhang K. Nonlethal Furfural Exposure Causes Genomic Alterations and Adaptability Evolution in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0121623. [PMID: 37395645 PMCID: PMC10434202 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01216-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Furfural is a major inhibitor found in lignocellulosic hydrolysate, a promising feedstock for the biofermentation industry. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential impact of this furan-derived chemical on yeast genome integrity and phenotypic evolution by using genetic screening systems and high-throughput analyses. Our results showed that the rates of aneuploidy, chromosomal rearrangements (including large deletions and duplications), and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) increased by 50-fold, 23-fold, and 4-fold, respectively, when yeast cells were cultured in medium containing a nonlethal dose of furfural (0.6 g/L). We observed significantly different ratios of genetic events between untreated and furfural-exposed cells, indicating that furfural exposure induced a unique pattern of genomic instability. Furfural exposure also increased the proportion of CG-to-TA and CG-to-AT base substitutions among point mutations, which was correlated with DNA oxidative damage. Interestingly, although monosomy of chromosomes often results in the slower growth of yeast under spontaneous conditions, we found that monosomic chromosome IX contributed to the enhanced furfural tolerance. Additionally, terminal LOH events on the right arm of chromosome IV, which led to homozygosity of the SSD1 allele, were associated with furfural resistance. This study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the influence of furfural on yeast genome integrity and adaptability evolution. IMPORTANCE Industrial microorganisms are often exposed to multiple environmental stressors and inhibitors during their application. This study demonstrates that nonlethal concentrations of furfural in the culture medium can significantly induce genome instability in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Notably, furfural-exposed yeast cells displayed frequent chromosome aberrations, indicating the potent teratogenicity of this inhibitor. We identified specific genomic alterations, including monosomic chromosome IX and loss of heterozygosity of the right arm of chromosome IV, that confer furfural tolerance to a diploid S. cerevisiae strain. These findings enhance our understanding of how microorganisms evolve and adapt to stressful environments and offer insights for developing strategies to improve their performance in industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Qi
- Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan, China
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Ye-Ke Wang
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Ke-Jing Li
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Min He
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Yang Sui
- Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan, China
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Pin-Mei Wang
- Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan, China
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Dao-Qiong Zheng
- Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan, China
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Global Analysis of Furfural-Induced Genomic Instability Using a Yeast Model. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.01237-19. [PMID: 31300396 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01237-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Furfural is an important renewable precursor for multiple commercial chemicals and fuels; a main inhibitor existing in cellulosic hydrolysate, which is used for bioethanol fermentation; and a potential carcinogen, as well. Using a genetic system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that allows detection of crossover events, we observed that the frequency of mitotic recombination was elevated by 1.5- to 40-fold when cells were treated with 0.1 g/liter to 20 g/liter furfural. Analysis of the gene conversion tracts associated with crossover events suggested that most furfural-induced recombination resulted from repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that occurred in the G1 phase. Furfural was incapable of breaking DNA directly in vitro but could trigger DSBs in vivo related to reactive oxygen species accumulation. By whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray and sequencing, furfural-induced genomic alterations that range from single base substitutions, loss of heterozygosity, and chromosomal rearrangements to aneuploidy were explored. At the whole-genome level, furfural-induced events were evenly distributed across 16 chromosomes but were enriched in high-GC-content regions. Point mutations, particularly the C-to-T/G-to-A transitions, were significantly elevated in furfural-treated cells compared to wild-type cells. This study provided multiple novel insights into the global effects of furfural on genomic stability.IMPORTANCE Whether and how furfural affects genome integrity have not been clarified. Using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae model, we found that furfural exposure leads to in vivo DSBs and elevation in mitotic recombination by orders of magnitude. Gross chromosomal rearrangements and aneuploidy events also occurred at a higher frequency in furfural-treated cells. In a genome-wide analysis, we show that the patterns of mitotic recombination and point mutations differed dramatically in furfural-treated cells and wild-type cells.
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Kirkland D, Fowler P. Further analysis of Ames-negative rodent carcinogens that are only genotoxic in mammalian cells in vitro at concentrations exceeding 1 mM, including retesting of compounds of concern. Mutagenesis 2010; 25:539-53. [DOI: 10.1093/mutage/geq041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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