Evaluation of the influence of deep geomagnetic impacting on growth rate and sensitivity to antibiotics in Escherichia coli

The short-term (1-7 days) and prolonged (30-90 days) adaptation of bacteria to hypomagnetic conditions was studied by observing changes in growth rate and resistance to antibiotics in E. coli used as an experimental model. The decrease of the growth rate of bacterial cells in the exponential phase was found to occur. The effect disappeared when the screened culture was placed under normal geomagnetic conditions for 1 hour daily. After prolonged screening an increase in the resistance of these bacteria to kanamycin and carbenicillin was registered. These changes were not hereditary: after the cessation of screening the sensitivity of the bacteria to antibiotics was restored.