PROLIFERATION OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE EXPOSED TO PULSED MAGNETIC FIELDS OF LOW INTENSITY

Abstract

Yeast cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were exposed to pulsed magnetic fields of low intensity. Field intensities from 0.92 mT to 2.73[Formula: see text]mT and frequencies of 20, 77.5, 135, 192.5 and 250[Formula: see text]Hz were employed. Proliferation and cell viability measurements were made in exposed and control cultures. For the frequency of 20[Formula: see text]Hz, statistically significant differences were found ([Formula: see text]) in cell proliferation using field intensities of 1.81 and 2.71[Formula: see text]mT. No changes were observed at this frequency for lower field strengths. At 77.5[Formula: see text]Hz, only changes in proliferation were observed for 0.92[Formula: see text]mT ([Formula: see text]). No changes were observed to any other frequency or intensity of the magnetic field. The cell viability studies were performed at different times, from 4 to 12[Formula: see text]h of exposure. At 1.81[Formula: see text]mT and 20[Formula: see text]Hz, an increase in colony-forming units (CFUs) of 26.1% was observed ([Formula: see text]) at 4[Formula: see text]h, and after 10[Formula: see text]h of exposure the increase in CFUs was 51.5% ([Formula: see text]). But when exposing the cells for 9[Formula: see text]h to a magnetic field of 2.71[Formula: see text]mT at 20[Formula: see text]Hz, the CFUs decreased by 25.9% ([Formula: see text]), and at 0.92[Formula: see text]mT and 77.5[Formula: see text]Hz, a decrease in CFUs of 18.6% was observed ([Formula: see text]) at 4[Formula: see text]h, while after 12 h of exposure an increase in CFU of 23.5% ([Formula: see text]) was determined. These results suggest the presence of a frequency window between 20[Formula: see text]Hz and 77.5[Formula: see text]Hz, where the effects of the magnetic field are significant.