The taxonomic positions of two gamma- and UV-ray-resistant strains isolated from radiation-polluted soil in north-west China were determined in a polyphasic study. The organisms, designated R12(T) and R13(T), were Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming cocci, which contained MK-8 as the major respiratory quinone and C(16 : 1)omega7c and C(16 : 0) as major fatty acids. The cell walls of strains ...

Glycogen branching enzymes (GBE) or 1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzymes (EC 2.4.1.18) introduce alpha-1,6 branching points in alpha-glucans, e.g., glycogen. To identify structural features in GBEs that determine their branching pattern specificity, the Deinococcus geothermalis and Deinococcus radiodurans GBE (GBE(Dg) and GBE(Dr), respectively) were characterized. Compared to other GBEs described...

Adaptation to extreme desiccation has conferred extraordinary radiation resistance on the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. How this organism is able to reconstruct a genome shattered by gamma rays has now been revealed.

Ionizing radiation triggers oxidative stress, which can have a variety of subtle and profound biological effects. Here we focus on mathematical modeling of potential synergistic interactions between radiation damage to DNA and oxidative stress-induced damage to proteins involved in DNA repair/replication. When sensitive sites on these proteins are attacked by radiation-induced radicals, correct...

We used Ar plasma-sterilization at a temperature below 80 °C to examine its effects on the viability of microorganisms when intermixed with tested soil. Due to a relatively low temperature, this method is not thought to affect the properties of a soil, particularly its organic component, to a significant degree. The method has previously been shown to work well on spacecraft parts. The selected...

The feasibility of using Deinococcus showing strong resistance to both desiccation and ionizing radiation as a dose indicator of gamma radiation exposure was evaluated. Three Deinococcus strains having different levels of radiation resistance, Deinococcus radiodurans (DRD), Deinococcus radiopugnans (DRP), and the DRD pprI mutant (DRM), were selected to develop an appropriate dose indicator for ...