Response of electrically stimulated cells of Pseudomonas oleovorans strainATCC 29347 suspended in silicone oil

A high intensity direct current was applied for more than 10 min onto a bac terial suspension of Pseudomonas oleovorans ATCC 29347 suspended in silicon e oil. The application of a gradually increased electric field from 0 to 25 00 V cm(-1) resulted in a decrease of the optical density of the bacterial suspension and the occurrence of a peak current of several hundred muA for living cells instead of a linear increase (few muA) for killed or lyophilis ed cells. This procedure is not only a rapid way of investigating the livin g state of cell cultures but also an efficient experimental tool to study t he cellular effects of a controlled electrical stress. (C) 2001 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. published by Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.