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Directed evolution of radiation resistance in E. coli
Author(s) -
Cox Michael M.,
Battista John R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a1361-e
The bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans exhibits extraordinary resistance to ionizing radiation, surviving doses of 5,000 Gy with no lethality. Many hypotheses have been advanced to explain the capacity of Deinococcus to reconstitute its genome after exposure to high levels of radiation. To further our efforts to explain this phenotype, we have subjected wild type E. coli (MG1655) to repeated cycles of ionizing radiation. This has permitted selection of an E. coli isolate that is 200 times more radiation resistant than MG1655 at a dose of 5,000 Gy. The isolate is only moderately more resistant to UV than is MG1655, and is approximately 10 fold more resistant to mitomycin C. All genomic and phenotypic changes in this isolate will be described.