Expression of HPV16 E6 oncoprotein increases resistance to several stress conditions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The E6 protein of human papillomavirus type 16 is essential for the oncogenic transformation process induced by these viruses. Here we expressed the E6 protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (which lacks p53) in order to determine if E6 interacts with normal cell functioning, independently of the p53 tumour suppressor factor. We observed a higher resistance to caffeine, hydrogen peroxide and to pheromone, but not to high temperature, starvation and osmostress. Measurement of the relative expression levels of target genes of the signalling pathways, involved in the latter stressful stimuli, led us to conclude that such pathways are differently regulated in the presence of E6.