Effect of pulsed electric fields upon accumulation of magnesium in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were treated with PEF to improve accumulation of magnesium in the biomass. Under optimized conditions, that is, on 15-min exposure of the 20-h grown culture to PEF of the 2,000 V and 20-μs pulse width, accumulation of magnesium in the yeast biomass reached maximum 3.98 mg/g dm. It constituted 40% of the total magnesium in the medium. That accumulation significantly correlated against magnesium concentration in the medium. Neither multiple exposure of the cultures to PEF nor intermittent supplementation of the cultures with magnesium increased the magnesium accumulation. The intermittent supplementation of the cultures with magnesium could even reduce the accumulation efficiency by 30%.