Electromagnetic fields--Health aspects

It has been suggested that 60 Hz electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines might present a health hazard to humans. Toward understanding the molecular mechanisms, two genes--EMF-A and EMF-B--had been tentatively identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as being responsive to EMF. The aim of this thesis was to confirm that EMF-A and EMF-B were convincingly and reproducibly inducible by 60 Hz EMF. The results confirmed that expression of both genes was induced following exposure to 60 Hz EMF. DNA sequence analysis of these genes showed a nearly perfect match to two Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes in the GenBank DNA database. The available data indicates that while both genes have been previously identified in other laboratories, precise identification of their biological functions has not been established. The cloned genes will provide valuable molecular probes for the ongoing research into the biological effects of power line EMF.

Epidemiological studies have suggested that 60 Hz AC electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by power lines might play a role in the increased incidence of certain human cancers, especially in children. Previous studies with human cells indicate that one molecular mechanism may involve differential effects on protein phosphorylation. The aim of this thesis was to determine whether 60 HZ EMF also affect phosphorylation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae which has been developed into a paradigm for molecular biologists. The data presented in this thesis show that protein phosphorylation is indeed altered in yeast in response to 60 Hz EMF. This work validates yeast as an experimental model for more in depth investigation of the molecular and genetic basis of this response. Insight gained from these studies should shed light on the interaction of power line EMF with human cells and its possible role in development of human cancers.