Disorders in NADPH generation via pentose phosphate pathway influence the reproductive potential of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast due to changes in redox status.

Intermediary metabolites have a crucial impact on basic cell functions. There is a relationship between cellular metabolism and redox balance. To maintain redox homoeostasis, the cooperation of both glutathione and nicotine adenine dinucleotides is necessary. Availability of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) as a major electron donor is critical for many intracellular redox reactions. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Zwf1p) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (Gnd1p and Gnd2p) is responsible for NADPH formation in a pentose phosphate (PP) pathway. In this study, we examine the impact of redox homoeostasis on cellular physiology and proliferation. We have noted that the Δzwf1 mutant lacking the rate-limiting enzyme of the PP pathway shows changes in the cellular redox status caused by disorders in NADPH generation. This leads to a decrease in reproductive potential but without affecting the total lifespan of the cell. The results presented in this paper show that nicotine adenine dinucleotides play a central role in cellular physiology.