High hydrostatic pressure activates gene expression through Msn2/4 stress transcription factors which are involved in the acquired tolerance by mild pressure precondition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Msn2 and Msn4 transcription factors activate expression of stress-responsive element (STRE) controlled genes in response to various stresses triggering the environmental stress response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although high hydrostatic pressure is known to induce gene expression modification in yeast, the transcription factors involved in this response are currently uncharacterized. In this work, we show that elevated pressure activates STRE dependent transcription through Msn2/4, which are also required for cell resistance and cell adaptation to high pressure. Moreover, it was demonstrated that HSP12 induction after a 50 MPa treatment is largely dependent on Msn2/4, while other transcription factors are involved in HSP12 over-expression after a 100 MPa treatment.