title: Low-frequency electromagnetic fields induce a stress effect upon higher plants, as evident by the universal stress signal, alanine.
abstract: 15N NMR analysis reveals alanine production in Duckweed plants exposed to low intensity sinusoidally varying magnetic fields (SVMF) at 60 and 100Hz, and fed by 15N-labeled ammonium chloride. Alanine does not accumulate in the absence of SVMF. Addition of vitamin C, a radical scavenger, reduced alanine production by 82%, indicating the roll of free radicals in the process. Alanine accumulation in plants and animals in response to exposure to a variety of stress conditions, including SVMF, is a general phenomenon. It is proposed that alanine is a universal first stress signal expressed by cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. bened@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Izhak Monselise
authors.forename: Abraham H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Parola
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kost
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D059828:Plant Cells; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000409:Alanine