The biological effects of high-pressure gas on the yeast transcriptome

The aim of the present study was to examine the feasibility of DNA microarray technology in an attempt to construct an evaluation system for determining gas toxicity using high-pressure conditions, as it is well known that pressure increases the concentration of a gas. As a first step, we used yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as the indicator organism and analyzed the mRNA expression profiles after exposure of yeast cells to nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas was selected as a negative control since this gas has low toxicity. Yeast DNA microarray analysis revealed induction of genes whose products were localized to the membranes, and of genes that are involved in or contribute to energy production. Furthermore, we found that nitrogen gas significantly affected the transport system in the cells. Interestingly, nitrogen gas also resulted in induction of cold-shock responsive genes. These results suggest the possibility of applying yeast DNA microarray to gas bioassays up to 40 MPa. We therefore think that "bioassays" are ideal for use in environmental control and protection studies.

A conceptual and practical overview of cDNA microarray technology: implications for basic and clinical sciences

cDNA microarray is an innovative technology that facilitates the analysis of the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously. The utilization of this methodology, which is rapidly evolving, requires a combination of expertise from the biological, mathematical and statistical sciences. In this review, we attempt to provide an overview of the principles of cDNA microarray technology, the practical concerns of the analytical processing of the data obtained, the correlation of this methodology with other data analysis methods such as immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays, and the cDNA microarray application in distinct areas of the basic and clinical sciences.