Behavior of Saccharomyces cerevisiae UE-ME3 in presence of diuron at beginning of exponential phase.

Abstract

The diuron, 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, is an herbicide used on autumn-winter crops, due to its ability to block the chloroplast electron chain at level of photosystem II. Although most of the living beings that contact with diuron are heterotrophic, this shows high toxicity for them, since it can also block the respiratory chain, behaving as ROS inductor. This herbicide is classified as POPs, because the chemical and biological degradation at ground level is very low. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of this phenylurea in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, at beginning of exponential phase, a early stage of cell growth.