Date of Submission

Spring 2013

Academic Program

Biology

Project Advisor 1

Michael Tibbetts

Abstract/Artist's Statement

Currently, therapeutic treatment of cancer has been based on biological targets such as proteins that govern cell division, that are involved in cell signaling pathways, cell movement and cell death. There has also been a great focus on directly inducing apoptosis by targeting DNA, commonly through the inhibition of DNA synthesis and suppression of RNA transcription. One of the most potent anti-tumor agents that manipulates DNA is the platinum-based drug cisplatin. Unfortunately, the potency of cisplatin has been critically affected by the increasing occurrence of resistance to the drug through various resistance mechanisms. This has led to the use of ruthenium, a rare transition metal of the platinum group, as a framework for cancer drug development characterized by low toxicity and reduced resistance. This study examines the resistance to cisplatin through apoptosis inhibition and increased colony size of the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The growth response of known resistant yeast strains CTR1Δ, SKY1Δ and SKI8Δ to various concentrations of cisplatin will be compared to that of BY4741 UV induced mutants and the parental strain. Also, a cross-study of the resistance to cisplatin will be applied to the novel ruthenium-platinum based drug IT127. The findings of this research will show the significance of the cisplatin resistance displayed by the single gene deletion strains and the UV mutants. It will also show evidence of the apoptotic efficacy of ruthenium-platinum drugs and reduced resistance of these yeast strains to IT127.

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