The Effect of Ampicillin on the Electrophysical Properties of Escherichia coli Cells

The study of the effect of ampicillin on the electrophysical properties of Escherichia coli cells showed that this antibiotic influences the orientational spectra (OSs) of the ampicillin-susceptible E. coli strains K-12 and XL-1 within the frequency range 10–1000 kHz of the orienting electric field and does not affect the OSs of the ampicillin-resistant strains K-12(pUC-18) and XL-1(pHEN1). The change in the electrooptical signal of the ampicillin-susceptible cells was maximum at an ampicillin concentration of 50 µg/ml and did not depend on the exposure time. The conclusion is drawn that changes in the OSs of cells can be used to evaluate their resistance to ampicillin.