EFFECT OF APPLIED VOLTAGE ON VIABILITY OF BACTERIA DURING SEPARATION UNDER ELECTROPHORETIC CONDITIONS

Abstract

Simple quantitative tests were performed to assess the viability of bacteria cells during capillary electrophoretic process. The results have shown that Gram-negative E. coli cells were more sensitive to electric field treatment in comparison to Gram-positive S. aureus. In comparison to a reference sample (0 kV) only 3.4% and 0.7% of the E. coli cells survived the applied voltage treatment (20 kV and 30 kV, respectively). S. aureus strains were more resistant to the electric field: 33–35% and 10–30% survived voltage of 20 and 30 kV, respectively. Such significant differences can be attributed to different cell wall composition where more peptidoglycan layers present in Gram-positive cells make them more rigid and resistant to external conditions.

Keywords:

• bacteria E. coli
• bacteria S. aureus
• capillary electrophoresis
• effect of voltage on bacteria
• viability
• zeta potential

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was financially supported by the Nicolaus Copernicus University Grant No. 372-Ch and European Social Found, Polish National Budget, and the Kujawsko -Pomorskie Voivodship Budget – “Krok w przyszłość III 2010/2011.”