Baker's yeast as a tool for the development of antifungal drugs which target cell integrity - an update

Abstract

Background: The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has developed into a general eukaryotic model system because of the widespread use of genetic manipulation and the availability of whole genome approaches. it can serve as a reference for gene and protein functions in pathogenic fungi. Moreover, high-throughput drug screens developed in baker's yeast are slowly being adapted to these fungi. This is of particular interest in the light of increasing numbers of fungal human and plant diseases. Objective: This review summarizes briefly the variety of new approaches for drug development and explains resistance mechanisms that are based on modern yeast genetics. Methods: Concentrating on the cell envelope, the principles underlying different screens are explained and examples for drugs under investigation and already in use are given. Conclusion: In recent years the potency of yeast genetics for drug development has been extended in an unprecedented scale. Nevertheless, the constant advent in this field, in combination with bioinformatic approaches, indicates that today we can only see the tip of the iceberg of the discoveries to be made.