Transcriptome profiling of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under 3-bromopyruvate treatment

This study provides the first transcriptomic analysis of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to. 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP), focusing on its dose-dependent effects. RNA-Seq analysis was performed using next-generation sequencing. The results showed a positive correlation between 3-BP concentration and the extent of transcriptomic changes, consistent with prior findings that higher 3-BP levels amplify cellular effects. Significant changes across fourteen categories of biological processes were identified, particularly involving genes linked to cell cycle regulation and organic compound metabolism alongside downregulation of key metabolic regulators, including the gene encoding hexokinase 2 (HXK2). The transcriptomic profile aligns with known experimental evidence of 3-BP activity, thereby confirming its impact on key metabolic processes such as glycolysis, alternative carbon metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and cellular stress response. What is more, due to the observed altered expression of several transcription factor genes we hypothesize that the pleiotropic effect of 3-BP molecular action may arise from its impact on their regulatory roles.