Deinococcus Radiodurans
“Strange Berry that Withstands Radiation”
Classification
• Clade: Actinomycate- D. radiodurans
decomposes organic matter
• Strain: R1
• Shape/Arrangement: Coccus- spherical
• Four cells stick together, forming a tetrad
Metabolism
eXtremophilic
Able to withstand harsh
conditions such
as cold,
vacuum,
dehydration and
acid climates
Habitat
• D. radiodurans natural habitat is not yet
know because it has only been discovered
recently (1956) and little is known about
the bacterium.
• Strains of this bacteria have grown from
meat, soil and fecal matter.
Adaptations
•
•
Polyextremophile- able to survive
cold, vacuum, dehydration,
and acid conditions
It is also resistant to radiation, ultraviolet
light, electrophilic agents,
desiccation
(extreme dryness) and oxidizing
It does not form endospores
Aerobic- uses oxygen for energy
Disease-Causing????
This bacteria does not
cause disease and little is
known about it because it is
newly found
Gram-………??
The
cell
stain
is
gram - positive
but
its cell
wall
is
similar
to
that
of
a
gram
negative
bacteria
FUNction and Impact on the
Environment
• This bacteria has the ability to repair damaged
DNA and small fragments from chromosomes by
isolating damage segments in a concentrated
area. This is because it has additional copies of
its genome.
• Genes from other bacteria have been inserted
into D. radiodurans for environmental clean up.
• Certain strains can be used to break down
organic chemicals, solvents and heavy metals in
radioactive waste sites.
WOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!!!
• The Guinness Book of World Records listed
Deinococcus Radiodurans as “the world’s
toughest bacterium.”
• D. radiodurans is able to withstand blasts of
radiation thousands of times the force which will
kill a human!
• In a laboratory setting a can of meat was
exposed to radiation, thought to kill all life forms.
The meat unexpectedly spoiled, and onto us,
Deinococcus radiodurans was discovered.
Bibliography
• http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articl
es/07_02/deinococcus.shtml
• http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/arn
old_meag/Phylogeny.htm
• http://nar.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/ab
stract/35/3/839
Angela St. Vrain