Electromagnetic fields may act directly on DNA

A wide variety of environmental stimuli induce the expression of stress res ponse genes, including high temperatures, hypoxia, heavy metal ions, and am ino acid analogs. Stress genes are also induced by low frequency magnetic f ields. The cellular response to magnetic fields is activated by unusually w eak stimuli, and involves pathways on ly partially associated with heat sho ck stress. Since magnetic fields interact with moving charges, as we have s hown in enzymes, it is possible that magnetic fields stimulate the stress r esponse by interacting directly with moving electrons in DNA. In this paper , we review several lines of evidence that support this hypothesis. J. Cell . Biochem. 75:369-374, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.