Effect of Low Power Microwave on Bacterial Growth, Protein Synthesis, and Intracellular Enzyme (Glucose-6-phosphatase and β-galactosidase) Activity

Abstract

Effect of low power microwave (MW) radiation (2.45 GHz; 90 W) on growth, protein synthesis, and intracellular enzyme (glucose-6-phosphatase and β galactosidase) activity was investigated in Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Escherichia coli. Test parameters viz. growth, protein synthesis, and enzyme activity of MW treated cells were compared to that of untreated control. MW treatment for 3 min and 6 min duration had no effect on growth and total protein synthesis of any of the three test organisms. Glucose-6-phosphatase activity in all the test organisms experienced a significant increase following MW treatment for either one or both exposure times. β galactosidase activity in all the three test organisms experienced a sig- nificant decrease following MW treatment for either one or both exposure times. In the present study, estimations of protein content and enzyme activity were made on the cell population originated from MW treated inoculum, and not directly on the MW treated cells. Therefore, the alterations in protein content or enzyme activity might have been transferred from the originally MW treated cells to their daughter cells (who did not receive direct MW exposure). As thermal effect of MW was avoided by putting the inoculum in ice during MW treatment, whatever alterations have been observed are most likely a result of MW specific athermal effects.