The relationship between electropermeabilization and cell cycle and cell size of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Yeast cells (Sacchromyces cerevisiae) in 0.9% NaCl solution containing phloxine B (dye) were treated by an application of a rectangular electric pulse. We input microscopic images of the yeast suspensions after the application into a computer, and measured whether each cell dyes or not, the phase in the cell cycle, and each cell size, using the software we had developed. After those measurements, we discussed the relationship between the yield of electropermeabilization (the ratio of dyed cells to the total cell number) and the phase in the cell cycle, and cell size. From the results, it was found that the yeast cells from S-phase to M-phase (S-M phase) in the cell cycle tend to be more permeated than G1-phase yeast cells, and in both phases the yield decreases with the increase in cell size.