[Protective action of electromagnetic radiation (40.68 MHz) on Saccharomyces cerevisiae UCM Y-517]

Abstract

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) (40.68 MHz, 15 and 30 W) has been studied for its effect on survivability of cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae UCM Y-517 under the extremal influence of the environment factors (pH, freezing-thawing, nistatin (1.0 microg/ml)). It is shown that even short-term irradiation of the yeast suspension (during 5 min) takes protective effect under the conditions of stress factors, displayed in the increase of the number of live intact cells. It was established by cytochemical methods that 50-70 % of cells were characterized as damaged and dead in the control samples after yeast exposition under the stress conditions. Such an effect was not observed in the samples of preliminary irradiated cells. The pool of extracellular nucleotides was shown to decrease as a result of the yeast cells irradiation; one could also observe the decrease of these cells ability to acidity the culture medium. The increase of activity of intracellular enzymes of dehydrogenase complex was noted as well. Stability of electrostatic characteristics of the cell surface (zeta-potential) and catalase activity under the effect of EMR of radio-frequency range has been demonstrated. The found effect of protective action of EMR of the above frequency is of nonspecific character, which allows its mechanism universality to be supposed.