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Magnetic field exposure enhances DNA repair through the induction of DnaK/J synthesis
Author(s) -
Chow King-Chuen,
Tung Wai Lin
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01822-6
Subject(s) - escherichia coli , plasmid , dna , strain (injury) , dna repair , heat shock protein , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , biophysics , genetics , gene , anatomy
In contrast to the common impression that exposure to a magnetic field of low frequency causes mutations to organisms, we have demonstrated that a magnetic field can actually enhance the efficiency of DNA repair. Using Escherichia coli strain XL‐1 Blue as the host and plasmid pUC8 that had been mutagenized by hydroxylamine as the vector for assessment, we found that bacterial transformants that had been exposed to a magnetic field of 50 Hz gave lower percentages of white colonies as compared to transformants that had not been exposed to the magnetic field. This result was indicative that the efficiency of DNA repair had been improved. The improvement was found to be mediated by the induced overproduction of heat shock proteins DnaK/J (Hsp70/40).