Microbial consortia and biochar as sustainable biofertilisers: Analysis of their impact on wheat growth and production.

The European Union is among the top wheat producers in the world, but its productivity relies on adequate soil fertilisation. Biofertilisers, either alone or in combination with biochar, can be a preferable alternative to chemical fertilisers. However, the addition of biofertilisers, specifically plant growth promoting microbes (PGPM), could modify grain composition, and/or deteriorate the soil composition. In this study, the two wheat cultivars Triticum aestivum (Bramante) and T. durum (Svevo) were cultivated in open fields for two consecutive years in the presence of a commercial PGPM mix supplied alone or in combination with biochar. An in-depth analysis was conducted by collecting physiological and agronomic data throughout the growth period. The effects of PGPM and biochar were investigated in detail; specifically, soil chemistry and rhizosphere microbial composition were characterized, along with the treatment effects on seed storage proteins. The results demonstrated that the addition of commercial microbial consortia and biochar, alone or in combination, did not modify the rhizospheric microbial community; however, it increased grain yield, especially in the cultivar Svevo (increase of 6.8 %-13.6 %), even though the factors driving the most variations were associated with both climate and cultivar. The total gluten content of the flours was not affected, whereas the main effect of the treatments was a variation in gliadins and low-molecular-weight-glutenin subunits in both cultivars when treated with PGPM and biochar. This suggested improved grain quality, especially regarding the viscoelastic properties of the dough, when the filling period occurred in a dry climate. The results indicate that the application of biofertilisers and biochar may aid the effective management of sustainable wheat cultivation, to support environmental health without altering the biodiversity of the resident microbiome.

Ultra-high Performance Liquid Chromatography-Ion Mobility-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry to Evaluate the Metabolomic Response of Durum Wheat to Sustainable Treatments.

Sustainable agriculture aims at achieving a healthy food production while reducing the use of fertilizers and greenhouse gas emissions using biostimulants and soil amendments. Untargeted metabolomics by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-ion mobility-high-resolution mass spectrometry, operating in a high-definition MSE mode, was applied to investigate the metabolome of durum wheat in response to sustainable treatments, i.e., the addition of biochar, commercial plant growth promoting microbes, and their combination. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis provided a good discrimination among treatments with sensitivity, specificity, and a non-error rate close to 1. A total of 88 and 45 discriminant compounds having biological, nutritional, and technological implications were tentatively identified in samples grown in 2020 and 2021. The addition of biochar-biostimulants produced the highest up-regulation of lipids and flavonoids, with the glycolipid desaturation being the most impacted pathway, whereas carbohydrates were mostly down-regulated. The findings achieved suggest the safe use of the combined biochar-biostimulant treatment for sustainable wheat cultivation.

Plant responses to climate change, how global warming may impact on food security: a critical review.

Global agricultural production must double by 2050 to meet the demands of an increasing world human population but this challenge is further exacerbated by climate change. Environmental stress, heat, and drought are key drivers in food security and strongly impacts on crop productivity. Moreover, global warming is threatening the survival of many species including those which we rely on for food production, forcing migration of cultivation areas with further impoverishing of the environment and of the genetic variability of crop species with fall out effects on food security. This review considers the relationship of climatic changes and their bearing on sustainability of natural and agricultural ecosystems, as well as the role of omics-technologies, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, phenomics and ionomics. The use of resource saving technologies such as precision agriculture and new fertilization technologies are discussed with a focus on their use in breeding plants with higher tolerance and adaptability and as mitigation tools for global warming and climate changes. Nevertheless, plants are exposed to multiple stresses. This study lays the basis for the proposition of a novel research paradigm which is referred to a holistic approach and that went beyond the exclusive concept of crop yield, but that included sustainability, socio-economic impacts of production, commercialization, and agroecosystem management.

A Metagenomic and Gene Expression Analysis in Wheat (T. durum) and Maize (Z. mays) Biofertilized with PGPM and Biochar.

Commodity crops, such as wheat and maize, are extremely dependent on chemical fertilizers, a practice contributing greatly to the increase in the contaminants in soil and water. Promising solutions are biofertilizers, i.e., microbial biostimulants that when supplemented with soil stimulate plant growth and production. Moreover, the biofertilizers can be fortified when (i) provided as multifunctional consortia and (ii) combined with biochar with a high cargo capacity. The aim of this work was to determine the molecular effects on the soil microbiome of different biofertilizers and delivery systems, highlight their physiological effects and merge the data with statistical analyses. The measurements of the physiological parameters (i.e., shoot and root biomass), transcriptomic response of genes involved in essential pathways, and characterization of the rhizosphere population were analyzed. The results demonstrated that wheat and maize supplemented with different combinations of selected microbial consortia and biochar have a positive effect on plant growth in terms of shoot and root biomass; the treatments also had a beneficial influence on the biodiversity of the indigenous rhizo-microbial community, reinforcing the connection between microbes and plants without further spreading contaminants. There was also evidence at the transcriptional level of crosstalk between microbiota and plants.

Drought Stress Pre-Treatment Triggers Thermotolerance Acquisition in Durum Wheat.

Durum wheat is strongly affected by climatic constraints such as high temperatures and drought, which frequently lead to yield reduction. Damages due to high temperatures are related to plant thermotolerance, a trait determined by two components: basal and acquired thermotolerance. In this study, the effect of drought and heat stress imposed singularly or sequentially was investigated in ten durum wheat cultivars (cvs) at the physiological and molecular level. The traits analyzed were cell membrane stability, relative water content, proline content, and expression level of several genes for heat shock proteins (HSPs). Our results indicate that drought priming can induce the acquisition of thermotolerance in most cultivars already classified as able to acquire thermotolerance by heat pre-treatment. Proline accumulation was correlated to cell membrane stability, meaning that the most thermotolerant cvs were able to accumulate higher levels of proline. Acquired thermotolerance is also due to the activation of HSP gene expression; similarly, pre-treatment with water stress was able to activate HSPs expression. The results reported indicate that water stress plays an important role in inducing thermotolerance, comparable to mild heat stress pre-treatment. This is the first report on the effect of drought stress on the acquisition of thermotolerance.

MicroRNA global profiling in cystic fibrosis cell lines reveals dysregulated pathways related with inflammation, cancer, growth, glucose and lipid metabolism, and fertility: an exploratory study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cystic fibrosis (CF), is due to CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) loss of function, and is associated with comorbidities. The increasing longevity of CF patients has been associated with increased cancer risk besides the other known comorbidities. The significant heterogeneity among patients, suggests potential epigenetic regulation. Little attention has been given to how CFTR influences microRNA (miRNA) expression and how this may impact on biological processes and pathways. METHODS: We assessed the changes in miRNAs and subsequently identified the affected molecular pathways using CFBE41o-, and IB3 human immortalized cell lines since they reflect the most common genetic mutations in CF patients, and 16HBE14o- cells were used as controls. RESULTS: In the CF cell lines, 41 miRNAs showed significant changes (FC (log2) ≥ +2 or FC (log2) ≤ -2 and p-value≤0.05). Gene target analysis evidenced 511 validated miRNA target genes. Gene Ontology analysis evidenced cancer, inflammation, body growth, glucose, and lipid metabolism as the biological processes most impacted by these miRNAs. Protein-protein interaction and pathway analysis highlighted 50 significantly enriched pathways among which RAS, TGF beta, JAK/STAT and insulin signaling. CONCLUSIONS: CFTR loss of function is associated with changes in the miRNA network, which regulates genes involved in the major comorbidities that affect CF patients suggesting that further research is warranted.

A stress-related transcription factor belonging to the YL-1 family is differently regulated in durum wheat cultivars differing in drought sensitivity.

The Mediterranean area is characterised by unfavorable environmental conditions such as heat stress and drought responsible for yield loss of crops like durum wheat, widely cultivated in this area. The response of plants to stressing environments is mediated by activation of a complex gene network, strictly related to the genetic background. Among the genes induced by drought, those coding for proteins acting as key regulators of signal transduction are of great interest. Characterization of these genes is a crucial point to understand their potential roles in plant stress response, also in view of their possible use in molecular breeding. In this work we have characterised a Triticum durum gene, named TdDRG1, in two commercial cultivars, Primadur and Svevo, differing for drought stress resistance. TdDRG1 codes for a putative transcription factor belonging to the VPS72/YL-1 family, highly conserved in plants and animals. The expression analysis indicates that this gene is expressed at higher level in roots of the resistant cultivar Svevo, than in the susceptible Primadur. The gene structure was determined in both cultivars and the regulatory activity of 5' upstream regions was analyzed by transient expression analysis using tobacco protoplasts. Dissimilar expression level of TdDRG1 in the two cultivars can be explained by the differences observed in gene structure. In particular, differences in 5' upstream regions could account for contrasting ability to cope with drought of the two cultivars. The data obtained in this study provide indications for further insight into the molecular basis of differences in drought stress response.

Heavy metals modulate DNA compaction and methylation at CpG sites in the metal hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri.

Excess heavy metals affect plant physiology by inducing stress symptoms, however several species have evolved the ability to hyperaccumulate metals in above-ground tissues without phytotoxic effects. In this study we assume that at subcellular level, different strategies were adopted by hyperaccumulator versus the non-accumulator plant species to face the excess of heavy metals. At this purpose the comet assay was used to investigate the nucleoid structure modifications occurring in response to Zn and Cd treatments in the I16 and PL22 populations of the hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri versus the nonaccumulator species Arabidopsis thaliana. Methy-sens comet assay and RT-qPCR were also performed to associate metal induced variations in nucleoids with possible epigenetic modifications. The comet assay showed that Zn induced a mild but non significant reduction in the tail moment in A. thaliana and in both I16 and PL22. Cd treatment induced an increase in DNA migration in nuclei of A. thaliana, whereas no differences in DNA migration was observed for I16, and a significant increase in nucleoid condensation was found in PL22 Cd treated samples. This last population showed higher CpG DNA methylation upon Cd treatment than in control conditions, and an up-regulation of genes involved in symmetric methylation and histone deacetylation. Our data support the hypothesis of a possible role of epigenetic modifications in the hyperaccumulation trait to cope with the high Cd shoot concentrations. In addition, the differences observed between PL22 and I16 could reinforce previous suggestions of divergent strategies for metals detoxification developing in the two metallicolous populations.

The Diverse Potential of Gluten from Different Durum Wheat Varieties in Triggering Celiac Disease: A Multilevel In Vitro, Ex Vivo and In Vivo Approach.

The reasons behind the increasing prevalence of celiac disease (CD) worldwide are still not fully understood. This study adopted a multilevel approach (in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo) to assess the potential of gluten from different wheat varieties in triggering CD. Peptides triggering CD were identified and quantified in mixtures generated from simulated gastrointestinal digestion of wheat varieties (n = 82). Multivariate statistics enabled the discrimination of varieties generating low impact on CD (e.g., Saragolla) and high impact (e.g., Cappelli). Enrolled subjects (n = 46) were: 19 healthy subjects included in the control group; 27 celiac patients enrolled for the in vivo phase. Celiacs were divided into a gluten-free diet group (CD-GFD), and a GFD with Saragolla-based pasta group (CD-Sar). The diet was followed for 3 months. Data were compared between CD-Sar and CD-GFD before and after the experimental diet, demonstrating a limited ability of Saragolla to trigger immunity, although not comparable to a GFD. Ex vivo studies showed that Saragolla and Cappelli activated immune responses, although with great variability among patients. The diverse potential of durum wheat varieties in triggering CD immune response was demonstrated. Saragolla is not indicated for celiacs, yet it has a limited potential to trigger adverse immune response.

New gene functions are involved in the thermotolerance of the wild wheat relative Aegilops umbellulata.

Wheat is one of the most important food crops in the world for human consumption, like all plants it is exposed to environmental stresses including high temperatures. The deleterious effect of high temperatures negatively affects plant growth and development, leading to reduced viability and yield. These effects can be reduced by improvement of thermotolerance through innovative breeding strategies, based on the expansion of the genetic pool available, by exploring important genetic functions from wheat wild progenitors. Improving the genetic thermotolerance characteristics of wheat requires greater understanding of genetic bases of thermotolerance, through identification of high temperature stress related genes. A good source of new useful alleles is given by Aegilops species characterized by thermotolerant habits. In this study we have classified as thermotolerant or thermosensitive, on the basis of physiologic tests, some accessions of wheat wild relative species belonging to Aegilops and Triticum genera. A thermotolerant accession of Aegilops umbellulata (AUM5) was selected, subjected to different thermal treatments and analyzed at transcriptional level. By differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR), we investigated modulation of gene expression elicited by heat treatments. This approach allowed the identification of various transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) produced by AUM5 in response to different thermal treatments. The functions of the inducible unique genes in the molecular determination of thermotolerance process are discussed.

Shaping Durum Wheat for the Future: Gene Expression Analyses and Metabolites Profiling Support the Contribution of BCAT Genes to Drought Stress Response.

Global climate change, its implications for agriculture, and the complex scenario presented by the scientific community are of worldwide concern. Drought is a major abiotic stress that can restrict plants growth and yields, thus the identification of genotypes with higher adaptability to drought stress represents one of the primary goals in breeding programs. During abiotic stress, metabolic adaptation is crucial for stress tolerance, and accumulation of specific amino acids and/or as secondary metabolites deriving from amino acid metabolism may correlate with the increased tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. This work, focused on the metabolism of branched chain-amino acids (BCAAs) in durum wheat and the role of branched-chain amino acid aminotransferases (BCATs) in stress response. The role of BCATs in plant response to drought was previously proposed for Arabidopsis, where the levels of BCAAs were altered at the transcriptional level under drought conditions, triggering the onset of defense response metabolism. However, in wheat the role of BCAAs as a trigger of the onset of the drought defense response has not been elucidated. A comparative genomic approach elucidated the composition of the BCAT gene family in durum wheat. Here we demonstrate a tissue and developmental stage specificity of BCATs regulation in the drought response. Moreover, a metabolites profiling was performed on two contrasting durum wheat cultivars Colosseo and Cappelli resulting in the detection of a specific pattern of metabolites accumulated among genotypes and, in particular, in an enhanced BCAAs accumulation in the tolerant cv Cappelli further supporting a role of BCAAs in the drought defense response. The results support the use of gene expression and target metabolomic in modern breeding to shape new cultivars more resilient to a changing climate.

Proteomic analysis of reserve proteins in commercial rice cultivars.

Rice consumption is rising in western countries with the adoption of new nutritional styles, which require the avoidance of gluten. Nevertheless, there are reports of rice allergic reactions. Rice grains contain a low amount of proteins most of which are storage proteins represented by glutelins, prolamins, albumins, and globulins. Some of these proteins are seed allergenic proteins as α-amylase/trypsin inhibitor, globulins, ß-glyoxylase, and several glutelins. Italy is the major rice producer in Europe, and for this, seed reserve proteins of four Italian rice cultivars were characterized by 2D-GE analysis. Some differentially abundant proteins were identified and classified as allergenic proteins, prompting a further characterization of the genes encoding some of these proteins. In particular, a deletion in the promoter region of the 19 KDa globulin gene has been identified, which may be responsible for the different abundance of the protein in the Karnak cultivar. This polymorphism can be applied for cultivar identification in commercial samples. Seed proteome was characterized by a variable combination of several proteins, which may determine a different allergenic potential. Proteomic and genomic allowed to identify the protein profile of four commercial cultivars and to develop a molecular marker useful for the analysis of commercial products.

Proteins and Metabolites as Indicators of Flours Quality and Nutritional Properties of Two Durum Wheat Varieties Grown in Different Italian Locations.

Durum wheat is an important food source in Mediterranean countries, and Italy is the major producer of durum wheat in Europe. The quality of durum wheat flours depends on the type and amount of gluten proteins and starch while flour nutritional value rests on metabolite contents such as polyphenols. In this work, two Italian cultivars, Iride and Svevo, were analyzed for two years (2016-2017) in four Italian regions to explore how the environment affects: (i) reserve proteome; (ii) starch content and composition; and (iii) free, conjugated, bound phenolics and antioxidant capacity. The impact of environmental and meteorological conditions was significant for many traits. Regardless of the cultivation site, in 2017, a year with less rainfall and a higher temperature during grain filling, there was an increase in low molecular weight glutenins, in the glutenin/gliadin ratio and in the A-type starch granules size, all parameters of higher technological quality. In the same year, the cultivars showed higher amounts of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, the two wheat cultivars, selected for their medium to high yield and their good quality, had higher performances in 2017 regardless of their sowing locations.

Molecular and genetic bases of heat stress responses in crop plants and breeding for increased resilience and productivity.

To ensure the food security of future generations and to address the challenge of the 'no hunger zone' proposed by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), crop production must be doubled by 2050, but environmental stresses are counteracting this goal. Heat stress in particular is affecting agricultural crops more frequently and more severely. Since the discovery of the physiological, molecular, and genetic bases of heat stress responses, cultivated plants have become the subject of intense research on how they may avoid or tolerate heat stress by either using natural genetic variation or creating new variation with DNA technologies, mutational breeding, or genome editing. This review reports current understanding of the genetic and molecular bases of heat stress in crops together with recent approaches to creating heat-tolerant varieties. Research is close to a breakthrough of global relevance, breeding plants fitter to face the biggest challenge of our time.

Technological Quality and Nutritional Value of Two Durum Wheat Varieties Depend on Both Genetic and Environmental Factors.

Durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn) is a major food source in Mediterranean countries since it is utilized for the production of pasta, leavened and unleavened breads, couscous, and other traditional foods. The technological and nutritional properties of durum wheat semolina depend mainly on the type of gluten proteins and on their amount, which is a genotype- and environment-dependent trait. Gluten proteins are also responsible for celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune enteropathy with a prevalence of about 0.7-2% in the human population. At this purpose, two Italian durum wheat cultivars, Saragolla and Cappelli, currently used for monovarietal pasta, were chosen to compare (i) the reserve and embryo proteome, (ii) the free and bound phenolics, antioxidant activity, and amino acid composition, and (iii) the content of immunogenic peptides produced after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The results obtained from 2 years of field cultivation on average showed a higher amount of gluten proteins, amino acids, and immunogenic peptides in Cappelli. Saragolla showed a higher abundance in bound phenolics, antioxidant enzymes, and stress response proteins in line with its higher antioxidant activity. However, the impact of the year of cultivation, largely depending on varying rainfall regimes through the wheat growth cycle, was significant for most of the parameters investigated. Differences in technological and nutritional characteristics observed between the two cultivars are discussed in relation to the influence of genetic and environmental factors.

Epigenetic modifications preserve the hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens from Ni geno-toxicity.

The Ni hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens has adapted to live in a naturally stressed environment, evolving a complex pattern of traits to cope with adverse conditions. Evidence is accumulating regarding the important role of epigenetic modifications in regulating plant responses to stress. In this study, we present data from the natural "open-field" adaptation of the Ni hyperaccumulator N. caerulescens to serpentine soil and provide the first evidence of the involvement of epigenetic changes in response to the high Ni content present in plant leaves. The alkaline comet assay revealed the integrity of the nuclei of leaf cells of N. caerulescens grown in a Ni-rich environment, while in the non-tolerant Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to Ni, the nuclei were severely damaged. DNA of N. caerulescens plants grown in situ were considerably hyper-methylated compared to A. thaliana plants exposed to Ni. In addition, qRT-PCR revealed that N. caerulescens MET1, DRM2, and HDA8 genes involved in epigenetic DNA and histone modification were up-regulated in the presence of high Ni content in leaves. Such epigenetic modifications may constitute a defense strategy that prevents genome instability and direct damage to the DNA structure by Ni ion, enabling plants to survive in an extreme environment. Further studies will be necessary to analyze in detail the involvement of DNA methylation and other epigenetic mechanisms in the complex process of metal hyperaccumulation and plants' adaptive response. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:464-475, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Detection of allergen coding sequences of kiwi, peach, and apple in processed food by qPCR.

BACKGROUND: Food traceability becomes lifesaving for persons suffering severe allergy or intolerance, and therefore need a complete avoidance of the immune-trigger food. This paper describes how to fingerprint the presence of some allergenic species (kiwi, peach, and apple) in foods by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). RESULTS: Five DNA extraction procedures were tested on fruits and foods. The results were statistically evaluated, and discussed. Analysis by qPCR with SYBR Green was developed to detect traces of these allergenic species in foods. Plasmids containing the target sequences of kiwi, peach and apple were employed as internal reference standard. Analysis of spiked food samples showed a limit of detection of 25 mg kg-1 for kiwi, 20 mg kg-1 for peach and 50 mg kg-1 for apple. CONCLUSION: The qPCR method here developed, combined with the use of internal plasmid reference standard, represents a specific system for the quick detection of allergenic species in complex food matrices, with a limit of detection comparable with those reported using more time-consuming methods. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Editor's Highlight: Off-Target Effects of Neuroleptics and Antidepressants on Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Over the past years, the use of antidepressants and neuroleptics has steadily increased. Although incredibly useful to treat disorders like depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy, or mental retardation, these drugs display many side effects. Toxicogenomic studies aim to limit this problem by trying to identify cellular targets and off-targets of medical compounds. The baker yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to be a key player in this approach, as it represents an incredible toolbox for the dissection of complex biological processes. Moreover, the evolutionary conservation of many pathways allows the translation of yeast data to the human system. In this paper, a better attention was paid to chlorpromazine, as it still is one of the most widely used drug in therapy. The results of a toxicogenomic screening performed on a yeast mutants collection treated with chlorpromazine were instrumental to identify a set of genes for further analyses. For this purpose, a multidisciplinary approach was used based on growth phenotypes identification, Gene Ontology search, and network analysis. Then, the impacts of three antidepressants (imipramine, doxepin, and nortriptyline) and three neuroleptics (promazine, chlorpromazine, and promethazine) on S. cerevisiae were compared through physiological analyses, microscopy characterization, and transcriptomic studies. Data highlight key differences between neuroleptics and antidepressants, but also between the individual molecules. By performing a network analysis on the human homologous genes, it emerged that genes and proteins involved in the Notch pathway are possible off-targets of these molecules, along with key regulatory proteins.

miR-146a, miR-155, miR-370, and miR-708 Are CFTR-Dependent, Predicted FOXO1 Regulators and Change at Onset of CFRDs.

CONTEXT: Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) is the most frequent and severe co-morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF). Presentation and severity are quite variable. OBJECTIVE: To investigate changes in microRNAs (miRNAs) due to CF transmembrane conductance regulator malfunctioning in vitro, to study the circulating levels of selected miRNAs in serum samples from patients, and to assess their relationships in different age groups with genotype, glucose tolerance state, and at onset of CFRD. Design/Setting/Patients/Interventions: Transcriptional profiling of all known miRNAs in CFBE41o- cells, in their normal counterparts (16HBE14o- cells), and in IB3 cells was performed. A set of miRNAs was differentially expressed in the CF cells. By in silico analysis, four miRNAs (miR-146a, miR-155, miR-370, and miR-708) were selected as potential regulators of the FOXO1 gene. Seventy-four CF patients and 50 healthy subjects whose glucose tolerance was characterized by an oral glucose tolerance test were enrolled in the study, and the identified miRNAs were quantified in serum by quantitative RT-PCR. Main Outcome Measurements/Results: A total of 111 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the two CF cell lines. miR-155, miR-370, and miR-708 were up-regulated and miR-146a was down-regulated in vitro, whereas in vivo, miR-146a, miR-155, and miR-370 were up-regulated, and miR-708 was down-regulated. These changes showed relationships with genotype, glucose tolerance state, and onset of CFRD. CONCLUSIONS: The data showed significant changes in miRNAs dependent on genotype and glucose tolerance state in CF patients and highlighted some miRNAs of importance in CFRD at onset. miRNAs could explain some of the variability observed in CF.

The global effect of exposing bakers' yeast to 5-fluoruracil and nystatin; a view to Toxichip.

A genome-wide screen of a haploid deletion library of bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was conducted to document the phenotypic and transcriptional impact of exposure to each of the two pharmaceutical products 5-fluorouracil (an anti-tumor agent) and nystatin (an anti-fungal agent). The combined data set was handled by applying a systems biology perspective. A Gene Ontology analysis identified functional categories previously characterized as likely targets for both compounds. Induced transcription profiles were well correlated in yeast and human HepG2 cells. The identified molecular targets for both compounds were used to suggest a small set of human orthologues as appropriate for testing on human material. The yeast system developed here (denoted "Toxichip") has likely utility for identifying biomarkers relevant for health and environmental risk assessment applications required as part of the development process for novel pharmaceuticals.