No Evidence of Cellular Alterations by MilliTesla-Level Static and 50 Hz Magnetic Fields on S. cerevisiae

Abstract

In an attempt to determine whether magnetic field (MF) exposures might induce cellular alterations, S. cerevisiae yeast cells were exposed to static or sinusoidal 50 Hz homogeneous MF (0.35 mT, 1.4 mT, and 2.45 mT) for 1 h and 72 h. Unsynchronized cells grown exponentially while exposed to MF, containing cells in all stages of the mitotic cell cycle. MF was generated by a pair of Helmholtz coils (40 cm in diameter, coaxial, separated by 20 cm). Survival, cell cycle distribution, colony forming ability, and mutation frequency were assayed. No differences in the above-mentioned parameters were observed in MF exposed samples in relation to unexposed controls, suggesting that homogeneous MF at these intensities do not produce appreciable cellular alterations in this organism under typical in vitro growth conditions.

Keywords:

• Magnetic field
• Yeast
• Survival
• Cell cycle
• Colony forming ability
• Mutant

Acknowledgments

We kindly thank Dr. A.A. Friedl for providing the yeast strain; Mr. R. Molina, Mr. A. Rodríguez, Mr. P. Martín-Albo, and Mr. E. Merino for the use and manufacture of electrical equipment; Ms. L. Gil Carmona for technical assistance; Dr. F. Sendra and Mr. A. Ruiz Gómez for help with photography; and Dr. H. Berg for helpful comments on the manuscript. Grant sponsor: “Junta de Andalucía (Plan Andaluz de Investigación); convocatoria para Acciones Coordinadas, 2001; codes CTS-181 and TIC-128.”

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.