Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Radiation-resistant extremophiles and their potential in biotechnology and therapeutics

  • Mini-Review
  • Published:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Extremophiles are organisms able to thrive in extreme environmental conditions. Microorganisms with the ability to survive high doses of radiation are known as radioresistant or radiation-resistant extremophiles. Excessive or intense exposure to radiation (i.e., gamma rays, X-rays, and particularly UV radiation) can induce a variety of mutagenic and cytotoxic DNA lesions, which can lead to different forms of cancer. However, some populations of microorganisms thrive under different types of radiation due to defensive mechanisms provided by primary and secondary metabolic products, i.e., extremolytes and extremozymes. Extremolytes (including scytonemin, mycosporine-like amino acids, shinorine, porphyra-334, palythine, biopterin, and phlorotannin, among others) are able to absorb a wide spectrum of radiation while protecting the organism’s DNA from being damaged. The possible commercial applications of extremolytes include anticancer drugs, antioxidants, cell-cycle-blocking agents, and sunscreens, among others. This article aims to review the strategies by which microorganisms thrive in extreme radiation environments and discuss their potential uses in biotechnology and the therapeutic industry. The major challenges that lie ahead are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agar NS, Halliday GM, Barnetson RS, Ananthaswamy HN, Wheeler M, Jones AM (2004) The basal layer in human squamous tumors harbors more UVA than UVB fingerprint mutations: a role for UVA in human skin carcinogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101(14):4954–4959

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aguilera JA, Bischof KB, Karsten UK, Hanelt DH, Wiencke CW (2002) Seasonal variation in ecophysiological patterns in macroalgae from an Arctic fjord. II. Pigment accumulation and biochemical defence systems against high light stress. Mar Biol 140(6):1087–1095

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asgarani E, Terato H, Asagoshi K, Shahmohammadi HR, Ohyama Y, Saito T, Yamamoto O, Ide H (2000) Purification and characterization of a novel DNA repair enzyme from the extremely radioresistant bacterium Rubrobacter radiotolerans. J Radiat Res 41(1):19–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asker D, Awad TS, Beppu T, Ueda K (2008) Deinococcus misasensis and Deinococcus roseus, novel members of the genus Deinococcus, isolated from a radioactive site in Japan. Syst Appl Microbiol 31(1):43–49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asker D, Awad TS, Beppu T, Ueda K (2009) Deinococcus aquiradiocola sp. nov., isolated from a radioactive site in Japan. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 59(Pt 1):144–149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asker D, Awad TS, McLandsborough L, Beppu T, Ueda K (2011) Deinococcus depolymerans sp. nov., a gamma- and UV-radiation-resistant bacterium, isolated from a naturally radioactive site. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 61(Pt 6):1448–1453

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Besaratinia A, Synold TW, Chen HH, Chang C, Xi B, Riggs AD, Pfeifer GP (2005) DNA lesions induced by UV A1 and B radiation in human cells: comparative analyses in the overall genome and in the p53 tumor suppressor gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102(29):10058–10063

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Billi D, Friedmann EI, Hofer KG, Caiola MG, Ocampo-Friedmann R (2000) Ionizing-radiation resistance in the desiccation-tolerant cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis. Appl Environ Microbiol 66(4):1489–1492

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buenger J, Driller H (2004) Ectoin: an effective natural substance to prevent UVA-induced premature photoaging. Skin Pharmacol Physiol 17(5):232–237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buommino E, Schiraldi C, Baroni A, Paoletti I, Lamberti M, De Rosa M, Tufano MA (2005) Ectoine from halophilic microorganisms induces the expression of hsp70 and hsp70B′ in human keratinocytes modulating the proinflammatory response. Cell Stress Chaperones 10(3):197–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Callegan RP, Nobre MF, McTernan PM, Battista JR, Navarro-Gonzalez R, McKay CP, da Costa MS, Rainey FA (2008) Description of four novel psychrophilic, ionizing radiation-sensitive Deinococcus species from alpine environments. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 58(Pt 5):1252–1258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen W, Wang B, Hong H, Yang H, Liu SJ (2012) Deinococcus reticulitermitis sp. nov., isolated from a termite gut. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 62(Pt 1):78–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cockell CS, Rettberg P, Rabbow E, Olsson-Francis K (2011) Exposure of phototrophs to 548 days in low Earth orbit: microbial selection pressures in outer space and on early earth. ISME J 5(10):1671–1682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conde FR, Carignan MO, Churio MS, Carreto JI (2003) In vitro cis-trans photoisomerization of palythene and usujirene. Implications on the in vivo transformation of mycosporine-like amino acids. Photochem Photobiol 77(2):146–150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Copeland E, Choy N, Gabani P, Singh OV (2012) Biosynthesis of extremolytes: radiation resistance and biotechnological implications. In: Singh OV (ed) Extremophiles: sustainable resources and biotechnological implications. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • de Groot A, Chapon V, Servant P, Christen R, Saux MF, Sommer S, Heulin T (2005) Deinococcus deserti sp. nov., a gamma-radiation-tolerant bacterium isolated from the Sahara Desert. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 55(Pt 6):2441–2446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de la Coba F, Jose AA, Felix LF (2007) Use of mycosporine-type amino acid Porphyra-334 as an antioxidant. International Patent Number WO/2007/026035

  • de la Coba F, Aguilera J, de Galvez MV, Alvarez M, Gallego E, Figueroa FL, Herrera E (2009) Prevention of the ultraviolet effects on clinical and histopathological changes, as well as the heat shock protein-70 expression in mouse skin by topical application of algal UV-absorbing compounds. J Dermatol Sci 55(3):161–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Capua C, Bortolotti A, Farias ME, Cortez N (2011) UV-resistant Acinetobacter sp. isolates from Andean wetlands display high catalase activity. FEMS Microbiol Lett 317(2):181–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dillon JG, Tatsumi CM, Tandingan PG, Castenholz RW (2002) Effect of environmental factors on the synthesis of scytonemin, a UV-screening pigment, in a cyanobacterium (Chroococcidiopsis sp.). Arch Microbiol 177(4):322–331

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duan Z, Ji D, Weinstein EJ, Liu X, Susa M, Choy E, Yang C, Mankin H, Hornicek FJ (2010) Lentiviral shRNA screen of human kinases identifies PLK1 as a potential therapeutic target for osteosarcoma. Cancer Lett 293(2):220–229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fleming ED, Castenholz RW (2008) Effects of nitrogen source on the synthesis of the UV-screening compound, scytonemin, in the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme PCC 73102. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 63(3):301–308

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fujimoto K, Morita T (2006) Aerobic removal of technetium by a marine Halomonas strain. Appl Environ Microbiol 72(12):7922–7924

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gabani P, Copeland E, Chandel AK, Singh OV (2012a) Ultraviolet-radiation-resistant isolates revealed cellulose-degrading species of Cellulosimicrobium cellulans (UVP1) and Bacillus pumilus (UVP4). Biotechnol Appl Biochem 59(5):395–404

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gabani P, Prakash D, Singh OV (2012b) Emergence of antibiotic-resistant extremophiles (AREs). Extremophiles 16(5):697–713

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gao Q, Garcia-Pichel F (2011) Microbial ultraviolet sunscreens. Nat Rev Microbiol 9(11):791–802

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghirga G (2010) Cancer in children residing near nuclear power plants: an open question. Ital J Pediatr 36:60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green SJ, Prakash O, Jasrotia P, Overholt WA, Cardenas E, Hubbard D, Tiedje JM, Watson DB, Schadt CW, Brooks SC, Kostka JE (2012) Denitrifying bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter dominate bacterial communities in the highly contaminated subsurface of a nuclear legacy waste site. Appl Environ Microbiol 78(4):1039–1047

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta AK, Pathak R, Singh B, Gautam H, Kumar R, Arora R (2011) Proteomic analysis of global changes in protein expression during exposure of gamma radiation in Bacillus sp. HKG 112 isolated from saline soil. J Microbiol Biotechnol 21(6):574–581

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hsu DW, Kiely R, Couto CA, Wang HY, Hudson JJ, Borer C, Pears CJ, Lakin ND (2011) DNA double-strand break repair pathway choice in Dictyostelium. J Cell Sci 124(Pt 10):1655–1663

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim AS, El-Tayeb MA, Elbadawi YB, Al-Salamah AA, Antranikian G (2012) Hexavalent chromate reduction by alkaliphilic Amphibacillus sp. KSUCr3 is mediated by copper-dependent membrane-associated Cr(VI) reductase. Extremophiles 16(4):659–668

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Im WT, Jung HM, Ten LN, Kim MK, Bora N, Goodfellow M, Lim S, Jung J, Lee ST (2008) Deinococcus aquaticus sp. nov., isolated from fresh water, and Deinococcus caeni sp. nov., isolated from activated sludge. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 58(Pt 10):2348–2353

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joux F, Jeffrey WH, Lebaron P, Mitchell DL (1999) Marine bacterial isolates display diverse responses to UV-B radiation. Appl Environ Microbiol 65(9):3820–3827

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kampfer P, Lodders N, Huber B, Falsen E, Busse HJ (2008) Deinococcus aquatilis sp. nov., isolated from water. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 58(Pt 12):2803–2806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerney KR, Schuerger AC (2011) Survival of Bacillus subtilis endospores on ultraviolet-irradiated rover wheels and Mars regolith under simulated Martian conditions. Astrobiology 11(5):477–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim SJ, Koh DC, Park SJ, Cha IT, Park JW, Na JH, Roh Y, Ko KS, Kim K, Rhee SK (2012) Molecular analysis of spatial variation of iron-reducing bacteria in riverine alluvial aquifers of the Mankyeong River. J Microbiol 50(2):207–217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klein AM, Brash DE, Jones PH, Simons BD (2010) Stochastic fate of p53-mutant epidermal progenitor cells is tilted toward proliferation by UV B during preneoplasia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107(1):270–275

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar R, Patel DD, Bansal DD, Mishra S, Mohammed A, Arora R, Sharma A, Sharma RK (2010) Extremophiles: Sustainable resource of natural compound- Extremolytes. In: Singh OV, Harvey SP (eds) Sustainable biotechnology: sources of renewable energy. Springer, Berlin, pp 279–294

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurnaz A, Kucukomeroglu B, Keser R, Okumusoglu NT, Korkmaz F, Karahan G, Cevik U (2007) Determination of radioactivity levels and hazards of soil and sediment samples in Firtina Valley (Rize, Turkey). Appl Radiat Isot 65(11):1281–1289

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leulliot N, Cladiere L, Lecointe F, Durand D, Hubscher U, van Tilbeurgh H (2009) The family X DNA polymerase from Deinococcus radiodurans adopts a non-standard extended conformation. J Biol Chem 284(18):11992–11999

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao CS, Chen LC, Chen BS, Lin SH (2010) Bioremediation of endocrine disruptor di-n-butyl phthalate ester by Deinococcus radiodurans and Pseudomonas stutzeri. Chemosphere 78(3):342–346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liedert C, Bernhardt J, Albrecht D, Voigt B, Hecker M, Salkinoja-Salonen M, Neubauer P (2010) Two-dimensional proteome reference map for the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus geothermalis. Proteomics 10(3):555–563

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Simon JD (2003) Isolation and biophysical studies of natural eumelanins: applications of imaging technologies and ultrafast spectroscopy. Pigment Cell Res 16(6):606–618

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu S, Zhang P, Cong B, Liu C, Lin X, Shen J, Huang X (2010) Molecular cloning and expression analysis of a cytosolic Hsp70 gene from Antarctic ice algae Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L. Extremophiles 14(3):329–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Llewellyn CA, Airs RL (2010) Distribution and abundance of MAAs in 33 species of microalgae across 13 classes. Mar Drugs 8(4):1273–1291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd JR, Leang C, Myerson ALH, Coppi MV, Cuifo S, Methe B, Sandler SJ, Lovley DR (2003) Biochemical and genetic characterization of PpcA, a periplasmic c-type cytochrome in Geobacter sulfurreducens. Biochem J 369:153–161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luca D, van der Gon AWD, Anita V, Ponjee MWG, Brongersma HH, Popa G (2001) Surface nitridation processes and non-linear behaviour of the reactive magnetron discharge with titanium target. Vacuum 61(2–4):163–167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mao J, Tang Q, Zhang Z, Wang W, Wei D, Huang Y, Liu Z, Shi Y, Goodfellow M (2007) Streptomyces radiopugnans sp. nov., a radiation-resistant actinomycete isolated from radiation-polluted soil in China. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 57(Pt 11):2578–2582

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mesbah NM, Wiegel J (2008) Life at extreme limits: the anaerobic halophilic alkalithermophiles. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1125:44–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Misra CS, Appukuttan D, Kantamreddi VS, Rao AS, Apte SK (2012) Recombinant D. radiodurans cells for bioremediation of heavy metals from acidic/neutral aqueous wastes. Bioeng Bugs 3(1):44–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muller-Taubenberger A, Bonisch C, Furbringer M, Wittek F, Hake SB (2011) The histone methyltransferase Dot1 is required for DNA damage repair and proper development in Dictyostelium. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 404(4):1016–1022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nath IVA, Bharathi PAL (2011) Diversity in transcripts and translational pattern of stress proteins in marine extremophiles. Extremophiles 15(2):129–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson WL, Ricco AJ, Agasid E, Beasley C, Diaz-Aguado M, Ehrenfreund P, Friedericks C, Ghassemieh S, Henschke M, Hines JW, Kitts C, Luzzi E, Ly D, Mai N, Mancinelli R, McIntyre M, Minelli G, Neumann M, Parra M, Piccini M, Rasay RM, Ricks R, Santos O, Schooley A, Squires D, Timucin L, Yost B, Young A (2011) The O/OREOS mission: first science data from the Space Environment Survivability of Living Organisms (SESLO) payload. Astrobiology 11(10):951–958

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onofri S, de la Torre R, de Vera JP, Ott S, Zucconi L, Selbmann L, Scalzi G, Venkateswaran KJ, Rabbow E, Sanchez Inigo FJ, Horneck G (2012) Survival of rock-colonizing organisms after 1.5 years in outer space. Astrobiology 12(5):508–516

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips RW, Wiegel J, Berry CJ, Fliermans C, Peacock AD, White DC, Shimkets LJ (2002) Kineococcus radiotolerans sp. nov., a radiation-resistant, gram-positive bacterium. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 52(Pt 3):933–938

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pryakhin EA, Tryapitsina GA, Deryabina LV, Atamanyuk NI, Stukalov PM, Ivanov IA, Kostyuchenko VA, Akleyev AV (2012) Status of ecosystems in radioactive waste reservoirs of the Mayak Production Association in 2009. Heal Phys 103(1):61–63

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rainey FA, Ferreira M, Nobre MF, Ray K, Bagaley D, Earl AM, Battista JR, Gomez-Silva B, McKay CP, da Costa MS (2007) Deinococcus peraridilitoris sp. nov., isolated from a coastal desert. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 57(Pt 7):1408–1412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rastogi RP, Richa SRP, Singh SP, Hader DP (2010) Photoprotective compounds from marine organisms. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 37(6):537–558

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson CK, Webb K, Kaur A, Jaruga P, Dizdaroglu M, Baliga NS, Place A, Diruggiero J (2011) A major role for nonenzymatic antioxidant processes in the radioresistance of Halobacterium salinarum. J Bacteriol 193(7):1653–1662

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romero-Martinez R, Wheeler M, Guerrero-Plata A, Rico G, Torres-Guerrero H (2000) Biosynthesis and functions of melanin in Sporothrix schenckii. Infect Immun 68(6):3696–3703

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Russo A, Piovano M, Lombardo L, Garbarino J, Cardile V (2008) Lichen metabolites prevent UV light and nitric oxide-mediated plasmid DNA damage and induce apoptosis in human melanoma cells. Life Sci 83(13–14):468–474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos AL, Oliveira V, Baptista I, Henriques I, Gomes NC, Almeida A, Correia A, Cunha A (2012) Effects of UV-B radiation on the structural and physiological diversity of bacterioneuston and bacterioplankton. Appl Environ Microbiol 78(6):2066–2069

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seyrig G (2010) Uranium bioremediation: current knowledge and trends. Basic Biotechnol eJournal 6(1):3

    Google Scholar 

  • Shashidhar R, Bandekar JR (2009) Deinococcus piscis sp nov., a radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from a marine fish. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 59:2714–2717

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sheng D, Zhu S, Wei T, Ni J, Shen Y (2008) The in vitro activity of a Rad55 homologue from Sulfolobus tokodaii, a candidate mediator in RadA-catalyzed homologous recombination. Extremophiles 12(1):147–157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shick JM, Dunlap WC (2002) Mycosporine-like amino acids and related Gadusols: biosynthesis, acumulation, and UV-protective functions in aquatic organisms. Ann Rev Physiol 64:223–262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shukla M, Chaturvedi R, Tamhane D, Vyas P, Archana G, Apte S, Bandekar J, Desai A (2007) Multiple-stress tolerance of ionizing radiation-resistant bacterial isolates obtained from various habitats: correlation between stresses. Curr Microbiol 54(2):142–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siezen RJ (2011) Microbial sunscreens. Microb Biotechnol 4(1):1–7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh OV (2006) Proteomics and metabolomics: the molecular make-up of toxic aromatic pollutant bioremediation. Proteomics 6(20):5481–5492

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh OV, Gabani P (2011) Extremophiles: radiation resistance microbial reserves and therapeutic implications. J Appl Microbiol 110:851–861

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh OV, Nagaraj NS, Gabani P (2011) Systems biology: Integrating ‘-omics’ oriented approaches to determine foodborne microbial toxins. In: Sahu SC, Casciano DA (eds) Handbook of systems toxicology: from omics technology to nanotechnology. Wiley, New York, pp 469–488

    Google Scholar 

  • Soule T, Garcia-Pichel F, Stout V (2009) Gene expression patterns associated with the biosynthesis of the sunscreen scytonemin in Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 in response to UVA radiation. J Bacteriol 191(14):4639–4646

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasan S, Kim MK, Lim S, Joe M, Lee M (2012a) Deinococcus daejeonensis sp. nov., isolated from sludge in a sewage disposal plant. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 62(Pt 6):1265–1270

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasan S, Lee JJ, Lim S, Joe M, Kim MK (2012b) Deinococcus humi sp. nov., isolated from soil. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.037234-0

  • Stevenson CS, Capper EA, Roshak AK, Marquez B, Eichman C, Jackson JR, Mattern M, Gerwick WH, Jacobs RS, Marshall LA (2002) The identification and characterization of the marine natural product scytonemin as a novel antiproliferative pharmacophore. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 303(2):858–866

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Terato H, Suzuki K, Nishioka N, Okamoto A, Shimazaki-Tokuyama Y, Inoue Y, Saito T (2011) Characterization and radio-resistant function of manganese superoxide dismutase of Rubrobacter radiotolerans. J Radiat Res 52(6):735–742

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vaishampayan PA, Rabbow E, Horneck G, Venkateswaran KJ (2012) Survival of Bacillus pumilus spores for a prolonged period of time in real space conditions. Astrobiology 12(5):487–497

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van Hullebusch ED, Peerbolte A, Zandvoort MH, Lens PN (2005) Sorption of cobalt and nickel on anaerobic granular sludges: isotherms and sequential extraction. Chemosphere 58(4):493–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Mao J, Zhang Z, Tang Q, Xie Y, Zhu J, Zhang L, Liu Z, Shi Y, Goodfellow M (2010) Deinococcus wulumuqiensis sp. nov., and Deinococcus xibeiensis sp. nov., isolated from radiation-polluted soil. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 60(Pt 9):2006–2010

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weon HY, Kim BY, Schumann P, Son JA, Jang J, Go SJ, Kwon SW (2007) Deinococcus cellulosilyticus sp. nov., isolated from air. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 57(Pt 8):1685–1688

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu WM, Carley J, Fienen M, Mehlhorn T, Lowe K, Nyman J, Luo J, Gentile ME, Rajan R, Wagner D, Hickey RF, Gu BH, Watson D, Cirpka OA, Kitanidis PK, Jardine PM, Criddle CS (2006) Pilot-scale in situ bioremediation of uranium in a highly contaminated aquifer. 1. Conditioning of a treatment zone. Environ Sci Technol 40(12):3978–3985

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Itoh T, Yokobori S, Shimada H, Itahashi S, Satoh K, Ohba H, Narumi I, Yamagishi A (2010) Deinococcus aetherius sp. nov., isolated from the stratosphere. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 60(Pt 4):776–779

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoo SH, Weon HY, Kim SJ, Kim YS, Kim BY, Kwon SW (2010) Deinococcus aerolatus sp. nov. and Deinococcus aerophilus sp. nov., isolated from air samples. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 60(Pt 5):1191–1195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan M, Zhang W, Dai S, Wu J, Wang Y, Tao T, Chen M, Lin M (2009a) Deinococcus gobiensis sp. nov., an extremely radiation-resistant bacterium. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 59(Pt 6):1513–1517

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan YV, Westcott ND, Hu C, Kitts DD (2009b) Mycosporine-like amino acid composition of the edible red alga, Palmaria palmata (dulse) harvested from the west and east coasts of Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick. Food Chem 112(2):321–328

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan YV, Westcott ND, Hu C, Kitts DD (2009c) Mycosporine-like amino acid composition of the edible red alga, Palmaria palmata (dulse) harvested from the west and east coasts of Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick. Food Chem 112(2):321–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Zenoff VF, Heredia J, Ferrero M, Sineriz F, Farias ME (2006) Diverse UV-B resistance of culturable bacterial community from high-altitude wetland water. Curr Microbiol 52(5):359–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Li L, Wu Q (2007a) Protective effects of mycosporine-like amino acids of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and their partial characterization. J Photochem Photobiol B 86(3):240–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Liu C, Tang Y, Zhou G, Shen P, Fang C, Yokota A (2007b) Hymenobacter xinjiangensis sp. nov., a radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from the desert of Xinjiang, China. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 57(Pt 8):1752–1756

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang YQ, Sun CH, Li WJ, Yu LY, Zhou JQ, Zhang YQ, Xu LH, Jiang CL (2007c) Deinococcus yunweiensis sp nov., a gamma- and UV-radiation-resistant bacterium from China. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 57:370–375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang XY, Langenick J, Traynor D, Babu MM, Kay RR, Patel KJ (2009) Xpf and not the Fanconi anaemia proteins or Rev3 accounts for the extreme resistance to cisplatin in Dictyostelium discoideum. PLoS Genet 5(9):e1000645

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Qin BF, Wang Y, Fang CX (2011) Deinococcus soli sp. nov., a gamma- and UV-radiation-resistant bacterium from north-west China. Mikrobiologiia 80(6):818–825

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The authors thank Institutional assistance to make this research possible.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological and Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 300 Campus Drive, Bradford, PA, 16701, USA

    Prashant Gabani & Om V. Singh

Authors
  1. Prashant Gabani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Om V. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Om V. Singh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gabani, P., Singh, O.V. Radiation-resistant extremophiles and their potential in biotechnology and therapeutics. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97, 993–1004 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4642-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4642-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation