Open AccessGenome‐wide transcriptional plasticity underlies cellular adaptation to novel challenge
Author(s) -
Stern Shay,
Dror Tali,
Stolovicki Elad,
Brenner Naama,
Braun Erez
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
molecular systems biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.523
H-Index - 148
ISSN - 1744-4292
DOI - 10.1038/msb4100147
Subject(s) - biology , reprogramming , gene , gene regulatory network , transcriptional regulation , genome , regulation of gene expression , adaptation (eye) , transcriptome , genetics , computational biology , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , neuroscience
Cells adjust their transcriptional state to accommodate environmental and genetic perturbations. An open question is to what extent transcriptional response to perturbations has been specifically selected along evolution. To test the possibility that transcriptional reprogramming does not need to be ‘pre‐designed’ to lead to an adaptive metabolic state on physiological timescales, we confronted yeast cells with a novel challenge they had not previously encountered. We rewired the genome by recruiting an essential gene, HIS3 , from the histidine biosynthesis pathway to a foreign regulatory system, the GAL network responsible for galactose utilization. Switching medium to glucose in a chemostat caused repression of the essential gene and presented the cells with a severe challenge to which they adapted over approximately 10 generations. Using genome‐wide expression arrays, we show here that a global transcriptional reprogramming (>1200 genes) underlies the adaptation. A large fraction of the responding genes is nonreproducible in repeated experiments. These results show that a nonspecific transcriptional response reflecting the natural plasticity of the regulatory network supports adaptation of cells to novel challenges.