Evidence that pulsed electric field treatment enhances the cell wall porosity of yeast cells

Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2014 Feb;172(3):1540-52. doi: 10.1007/s12010-013-0628-x. Epub 2013 Nov 13.

Abstract

The application of rectangular electric pulses, with 0.1-2 ms duration and field intensity of 2.5-4.5 kV/cm, to yeast suspension mediates liberation of cytoplasmic proteins without cell lysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pulsed electric field with similar parameters on cell wall porosity of different yeast species. We found that electrically treated cells become more susceptible to lyticase digestion. In dependence on the strain and the electrical conditions, cell lysis was obtained at 2-8 times lower enzyme concentration in comparison with control untreated cells. The increase of the maximal lysis rate was between two and nine times. Furthermore, when applied at low concentration (1 U/ml), the lyticase enhanced the rate of protein liberation from electropermeabilized cells without provoking cell lysis. Significant differences in the cell surface of control and electrically treated cells were revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Data presented in this study allow us to conclude that electric field pulses provoke not only plasma membrane permeabilization, but also changes in the cell wall structure, leading to increased wall porosity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Membrane / chemistry
  • Cell Membrane / radiation effects*
  • Cell Membrane Permeability / radiation effects*
  • Cell Wall / chemistry
  • Cell Wall / radiation effects*
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Porosity / radiation effects
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / chemistry
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / cytology