The researchers were able to obtain such patterns of gene expression for 300 mutant yeast cells or normal cells treated with various chemicals and save them in a database similar to those used for fingerprints or mug shots. One can identify the function of new genes or the target of new drugs by obtaining new expression profiles and matching the pattern against the database. The match suggests how a mutation in a new gene or how a chemical treatment affects the function of other genes. From that the researchers are able to infer data about the gene or drug of interest. The information obtained from chemical treatment of yeast cells may be very important for drug discovery.
Current methods take a long time to identify molecular targets of new drugs.
Matthew Marton, at Rosetta Inpharmatics, Inc., in Kirkland, Washington, says that the approach used in this paper is not earth-shattering. He also points out the sensitivity of comparing expression profiles in determining very subtle differences in how cells may respond to similar drugs. Although this method of expression profiling can also be applied to multi-cellular organisms with another level of complexity from different tissues and developmental stages, certain questions about genes in higher organisms can first be answered much more quickly in yeast. A similar gene exists in humans and is likely to be the target for the drug as well. Although the results would need to be verified in humans, this approach provides a big lead.