Processes for detecting toxic substances

Abstract

Biology-based processes for detecting toxic substances are provided. The processes comprise detecting mRNA that is expressed in the presence of toxic substances by a cell comprising a yeast gene as followed, or a gene that is homologous to the yeast genes and is derived from other species, wherein the mRNA corresponds to said yeast gene or said homologous gene thereof.

1 . A process for detecting NA 2 As, which comprises detecting an increase in mRNA, wherein the increase in mRNA is 2 or more when the level of expressed mRNA in the presence of NA 2 As is divided by the level of expressed mRNA in the absence of NA 2 As, by a cell comprising a yeast gene that is selected from the group consisting of the following, or a gene that is homologous to the yeast genes and is derived from other species, wherein the mRNA corresponds to said yeast gene or said homologous gene thereof,  
     YBR072W, YFLO14W, YLLOGOC, YCL035C, YNL160W, YHR030C, YCRO21C, YDR513W, YKL161C, YPL223C, YER042W, YCR1O2C, YDL218W, YDR533C, YKLO71W, YLR460C, YMR090W, YOL150C, YBLO48W, YGL121C, YHR02.9C, YHR209W, YKL107W, YLLO56C, YLR297W, YOR391C, YLR346C, YOR049C, YBLO49W, YDR070C, YER037W, YGR142W, YGR16IC, YMR04OW, YMR322C, YNL134C, YOR152C, YHR138C, YJL171C, YLRO54C, YMR009W, YMR107W, YMR316W, YOL162W, YORO19W, YPR151C, YLR194C, YIL117C, YOR248W, YPLO54W, YBR147W, YDROO3W, YERO67W, YILO58W, YLR108C, YDR132C, YEL072W, YKR071C, YOR255W, YBR047W, YGL117W, YLL062C, YLR364W, YAL018C, YAR064W, YBR012C, YNL058C, YDR281C, YCROO7C, YOL118C, YOR38SW, YGRO08C, YLR142W, YBR291C, YLR038C, YDR178W, YJL166W, YFLO14W, YGR18OC, YGR18OC, YJLO26W, YDL059C, YGR180C, YGLO91C, YCR107W, YDL243C, YFLO56C, YFLO57C, YJR155W, YNL331C, YOL165C, YPL171C, YDL021W, YGRO43C, YHR179W, YPLO88W, YGR008C, YMR105C, YEL011W, YBR299W, YCR105W, YGL191W, YLR038C, YDR178W, YJL166W, YER008C, YER296C, YER294W, YGL006W, YGRO55W, YOL119C, YHR092C, YFLO55W, YLL055W, YHL036W, YHRO48W, YLR092W, YML116W, YBR291C, YPR201W, YAL067C, YLL061W, YDR342C, YPR194C, YCR107W, YDL243C, YFLO14W, YFL056C, YFLO57C, YJR155W, YNL331C, YOL165C, YPR167C, YER256C, YER296C, YDL021W, YGR043C, YJR010W, YKL001C, YLR303W, YOL151W, YPLO88W, YDL124W, YBR294W, YDR368W, YER091C, YGL184:C, YIR017C, YKL218C, YML131W, YGRO55W, YJR137C, YIL167W, YDR487C, YELO11W, YHR092C, YLR142W, YER050C, YER093C, YFL055W, YDL168W, YDR253C, YDR513W, YFRO30W, YHLO36W, YJL155C, YLR092W, YMR081C, YNL277W, YBR291C, YIL168W, YKR061W, YAL067C, YER042W, YKR069W, YLL061W, YLRO99C, YCR105W, YDR043C, YGR180C, YJL026W, YDR342C, YDR178W, YLL060C, YBLO64C, YER008C, YCL035C, YHR055C, YER185W, YHRO53C, YKL026C, YDL168W, YDR513W, YHR048W, YJL101C, YML116W, YLL057C, YPR2000, Y0R031W, YKR076W, YHR139C, YGR213C, YEL078C, YNL036W, YOR134W, YDL020C, YLR327C, YNL093W, YEL066W, YJR122W, YNL015W, YBR182C, YGR067C, YER184C, YOR058C, YER076W, YFRO14C, YHR136C, YOR327C, and YOL109W.  
   
   
       2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of unknown yeast genes.  
   
   
       3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of mitochondria genes.  
   
   
       4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of DNA repair genes.  
   
   
       5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of energy genes.  
   
   
       6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of transport facilitation genes.  
   
   
       7 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of stress protein genes.  
   
   
       8 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of metabolism genes.  
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the yeast gene belongs to a category of detoxification genes.  
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the mRNA is amplified by reverse transcription-PCR, and then detected.  
   
   
       11 . The process according to  claim 10 , which comprises: 
 adding a test material to the cell, and incubating the mixture;    extracting mRNA from the cell;    preparing cDNA from the mRNA via reverse transcription using labeled nucleotides; and    hybridizing the cDNA as used as probe with the gene as defined in  claim 1 .    
   
   
       12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein step (4) as defined in  claim 11  is conducted on a microarray containing the gene as defined in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       13 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the mRNA is detected by northern blotting.  
   
   
       14 . The process according to  claim 13 , which comprises: 
 adding a test material to the cell, and incubating the mixture;    extracting mRNA from the cell; and    hybridizing the mRNA with the gene as defined in  claim 1 .    
   
   
       15 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein step (3) as defined in  claim 14  is conducted on a microarray containing the gene as defined in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       16 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the detection of mRNA is conducted by detecting the production of a polypeptide encoded by the gene as defined in  claim 1.