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Physiological responses of the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp. strain NRC1 to desiccation and gamma irradiation

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Abstract

We report that the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp. strain NRC-1 is highly resistant to desiccation, high vacuum and 60Co gamma irradiation. Halobacterium sp. was able to repair extensive double strand DNA breaks (DSBs) in its genomic DNA, produced both by desiccation and by gamma irradiation, within hours of damage induction. We propose that resistance to high vacuum and 60Co gamma irradiation is a consequence of its adaptation to desiccating conditions. Gamma resistance in Halobacterium sp. was dependent on growth stage with cultures in earlier stages exhibiting higher resistance. Membrane pigments, specifically bacterioruberin, offered protection against cellular damages induced by high doses (5 kGy) of gamma irradiation. High-salt conditions were found to create a protective environment against gamma irradiation in vivo by comparing the amount of DSBs induced by ionizing radiation in the chromosomal DNA of Halobacterium sp. to that of the more radiation-sensitive Escherichia coli that grows in lower-salt conditions. No inducible response was observed after exposing Halobacterium sp. to a nonlethal dose (0.5 kGy) of gamma ray and subsequently exposing the cells to either a high dose (5 kGy) of gamma ray or desiccating conditions. We find that the hypersaline environment in which Halobacterium sp. flourishes is a fundamental factor for its resistance to desiccation, damaging radiation and high vacuum.

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Abbreviations

DSBs:

Double-strand breaks

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

EMS:

Ethyl methanesulfonate

Gy:

Gray

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from NASA (#NCC9147), and the HFSP (#RG522002). We would like to thank Vince Adams for his technical assistance irradiating the cells and Marvin Swartz for high vacuum exposure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, 3221 H.J. Patterson Hall, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Molly Kottemann, Adrienne Kish, Chika Iloanusi, Sarah Bjork & Jocelyne DiRuggiero

  2. Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jocelyne DiRuggiero

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  1. Molly Kottemann
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  2. Adrienne Kish
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  3. Chika Iloanusi
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  4. Sarah Bjork
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  5. Jocelyne DiRuggiero
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Correspondence to Jocelyne DiRuggiero.

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Communicated by W.D. Grant

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Kottemann, M., Kish, A., Iloanusi, C. et al. Physiological responses of the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp. strain NRC1 to desiccation and gamma irradiation. Extremophiles 9, 219–227 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-005-0437-4

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