The Msn2/4-like gene transcription factor Com2 (ORF YER130) is a key player of S. cerevisiae response and tolerance to sulphur dioxide

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and its derivatives are widely used as preservatives in food and beverage industries to assure the maintenance of microbiological quality of their products. In this work it is shown, for the first time, the essential role played by the transcriptional regulator Com (ORF YER130c) in S. cerevisiae response and tolerance to SO2, this being the first biological function attributed for this regulator. Cells of S. cerevisiae BY4741 and of the mutant BY4741_∆com2 were cultivated in MMB growth medium (at pH 3.5) either or not supplemented with 0.5mM of sulphur dioxide. For RNA extraction, cells were collected at 60 min of incubation.