Apoptosis-like cell death of Saccharomyces cerevisiae induced by a mannose-binding antifungal antibiotic, pradimicin.

Pradimicin A (PRM), a mannose-binding antifungal antibiotic, induced the apotosis-like cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The nuclear breakage and DNA fragmentation were observed in yeast cells by DAPI and TUNEL staining after the treatment with PRM. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also detected in PRM-treated yeast cells by staining with dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. PRM-induced cell death and the accumulation of ROS were prevented by pretreating the yeast cells with a radical scavenger, N-acetylcysteine. These results indicate that PRM induces the apoptosis-like cell death in yeast through the generation of ROS.