Dielectric properties of yeast cells as determined by electrorotation

Electrorotational spectra of yeast cells, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain R XII, were measured over a frequency range of nearly 7 decades. The physical properties of distinct cell parts were simultaneously determined for individual cells by comparison with an electrical two-shell model: The conductivity of the cytoplasm, cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane of living cells were found to be 5.5 mS/cm, 0.1 to more than 0.5 mS/cm and less than 0.25 nS/cm to 4.5 microS/cm, respectively. The conductivity of the cytoplasmic membrane was dependent on the conductivity of the medium. Membrane behaviour is interpreted as an opening of membrane channels when the environment becomes more physiological. The specific membrane capacitance was determined to be 1.1 microF/cm2 and the thickness of the cell wall was calculated as 0.11 micron. Heat treated cells showed an increased membrane conductivity of more than 0.1 microS/cm (at 25 microS/cm medium conductivity) and a drop in cytoplasmic conductivity to between 0.1 and 0.8 mS/cm, depending on the length of time the cells were suspended in low conductivity water (25 microS/cm), indicating a perforation of the membrane. A slightly decreased spinning speed scaling factor for dead cells suggests a modification to the cellular surface, while the principal structure of the cell wall appears to be uneffected. It can be demonstrated by these observations, that cellular electrorotation permits the simultaneous investigation of the different cellular compartments of individual cells in vivo under various environmental conditions.