Controlling the growth of yeast by culturing in high magnetic fields

•Growth of yeast suppressed by culturing in magnetic field.•Magnetic-field-induced suppression degree of growth depends on the type of yeast.•Magnetic field can be used to selectively control the growth of yeasts. The effect of static magnetic fields up to a strength of 15 T on the growth of three types of yeast which were all classified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied. The growth rate of the yeasts was suppressed by applying a magnetic field. The degree of suppression depended on the type of yeast. The reduction in the numbers of yeast cells was due to growth suppression, not sterilization. Among the three types of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the degree of suppression on the growth of two yeasts was strongest in a magnetic field at 8 T with different suppression degree of 19% and 12% for a culture time of 24 h. Growth of the other yeast most suppressed by 10% at a magnetic field of around 4 T. Therefore, the yeasts have their characteristic magnetic field sensitivity on the growth. The results were discussed using a model based on the competition between yeast osmotic pressure changes by magnetic field and magnetic forces induced by magnetic field gradient. In low magnetic field regions, change of the osmotic pressure shrink the yeast cell and reduce the contact frequency between yeast cells and glucose-based ions. In higher magnetic field regions, effect of magnetic force become apparent, and recover the growth rate of the yeast. It suggested that the selective growth of yeast can be expected by in-magnetic-field culturing.