Disturbances in cell wall biogenesis as a key factor in the replicative aging of budding yeast.

Abstract

Aging is a multifactorial process that significantly impairs organismal function. Yeast is one of the model organisms used in aging research. Our understanding of the impact of the cell wall on aging remains elusive. Yeast cell wall is a complex and dynamic structure that plays a crucial role in the growth, survival, and aging of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that the deletion of genes involved in cell wall biogenesis leads to significant impact on aging. In this study, we analysed five deletion mutants: crh2Δ, cwp1Δ, flo11Δ, gas1Δ and hsp12Δ. We showed a correlation between Raman spectroscopy signatures assigned to proteins, nucleic acids and RNA and replicative aging. Using Raman spectroscopy, we also revealed that a lack GAS1 gene results in significant changes in the biochemical composition of the cells that may increase sensitivity to environmental stressors. Our data unequivocally indicate that employing yeast as a model in aging research is appropriate, as long as the factors under analysis are not implicated in cell wall biogenesis.