The Effect of Microwave Sublethal Heating on the Ribonucleic Acids of Staphylococcus aureus.

The effect of microwave sublethal heat injury on the integrity of S. aureus FRI-100 RNA was examined. The extent of damage to RNA during sublethal microwave heat injury was greater than that occurring as a result of conventional sublethal heating. Although both heating modes resulted in the destruction of the 16S RNA, only those cells heated with microwave energy suffered lesions in their 23S RNA. When cells were allowed to recover, the conventionally heated cells regained normal profiles of the 16S and the 23S RNA after 180 min on the recovery medium. Microwave heated cells restored their 16S RNA after 180 min of recovery. Microwave-injured cells required 270 min to have 23S RNA with sedimentation properties similar to those found in the unheated cells.