Using Microarray Technology to Examine the Effects of Zinc on Gene Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A proposal

Using Microarray Technology to Examine the Effects of Zinc on Gene Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A proposal

Zinc is one of the principle trace elements required in biological systems, with structural or enzymatical roles in hundreds of proteins. In humans, zinc deficiency has gradually come to be recognized as a clinically significant and common form of malnutrition, particularly in chronically ill patients. The clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency are diverse with effects on the immune system, appetite, and embryonic development. The regulation of zinc distribution remains a critical, unanswered question. The manner in which zinc is released from its tight binding sites in proteins and its transfer from one site to another are also unknown. While several studies have examined gene expression of a few genes in response to zinc (Zn) exposure, there are a lack of data concerning how an entire genome responds to the presence of Zn. In this study, microarray technology will be used to examine the potential effects of Zn exposure (0μM, 1μM, 50μM, 1mM Zn solutions for 60 hours) on gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), a model organism that shares roughly 31% of its genome with humans. Changes in gene expression will be analyzed using MAGICTool, a software developed through the Genome Consortium for Active Teaching (GCAT). Variability within and among microarray slides will be specifically addressed by examining expression patterns on slides that received the same control treatment (0μM Zn). Subsequently, genes will be identified as being down or up-regulated in the various zinc conditions.