Bacteriophage Lambda proliferation in Escherichia coli under the influence of microwave irradiation

The influence of microwaves on bacterial metabolism was investigated using the proliferation of bacteriophage Lambda in Escherichia coli cells as a model system. All experiments were performed under the same microwave absorption rate and constant temperature. Microwave treatment had no effect on bacterial or phage viability, or on phage adsorption. Microwaves significantly influenced phage proliferation but the effects depended on the experimental temperature. The kinetics of phage proliferation decreased with irradiation at the optimal temperature and increased at the suboptimal temperature. This result could be ascribed to the specific thermal effects of microwaves.