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Title: Below-Background Ionizing Radiation as an Environmental Cue for Bacteria

Abstract

All organisms on earth grow under the influence of a natural and relatively constant dose of ionizing radiation referred to as background radiation, and so cells have different mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of damage caused by its different components. However, current knowledge of the deleterious effects of radiation on cells is based on the exposure to acute and high or to chronic, above background doses of radiation and therefore is not appropriate to explain the cellular and biochemical mechanisms that cells employ to sense and respond to chronic below-background levels. Studies at below-background radiation doses can provide insight into the biological role of radiation, as suggested by several examples of what appears to be a stress response in cells grown at doses that range from 10 to 79 times lower than background. Here, we discuss some of the technical constraints to shield cells from radiation to below-background levels, as well as different approaches used to detect and measure responses to such unusual environmental conditions. Then, we present data from Shewanella oneidensis and Deinococcus radiodurans experiments that show how two taxonomically distant bacterial species sense and respond to unnaturally low levels of radiation. Finally, in brief, we grew S. oneidensismore » and D. radiodurans in liquid culture at dose rates of 72.05 (control) and 0.91 (treatment) nGy hr-1 (including radon) for up to 72 h and measured cell density and the expression of stress-related genes. Our results suggest that a stress response is triggered in the absence of normal levels of radiation.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States). Dept. of Biology
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
OSTI Identifier:
1358357
Grant/Contract Number:  
EM0002423
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Frontiers in Microbiology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 1664-302X
Publisher:
Frontiers Research Foundation
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; below-background radiation; stress response; relative gene expression; radiation biology; Shewanella oneidensis; Deinococcus radiodurans

Citation Formats

Castillo, Hugo, and Smith, Geoffrey B. Below-Background Ionizing Radiation as an Environmental Cue for Bacteria. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.00177.
Castillo, Hugo, & Smith, Geoffrey B. Below-Background Ionizing Radiation as an Environmental Cue for Bacteria. United States. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.00177
Castillo, Hugo, and Smith, Geoffrey B. Tue . "Below-Background Ionizing Radiation as an Environmental Cue for Bacteria". United States. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.00177. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1358357.
@article{osti_1358357,
title = {Below-Background Ionizing Radiation as an Environmental Cue for Bacteria},
author = {Castillo, Hugo and Smith, Geoffrey B.},
abstractNote = {All organisms on earth grow under the influence of a natural and relatively constant dose of ionizing radiation referred to as background radiation, and so cells have different mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of damage caused by its different components. However, current knowledge of the deleterious effects of radiation on cells is based on the exposure to acute and high or to chronic, above background doses of radiation and therefore is not appropriate to explain the cellular and biochemical mechanisms that cells employ to sense and respond to chronic below-background levels. Studies at below-background radiation doses can provide insight into the biological role of radiation, as suggested by several examples of what appears to be a stress response in cells grown at doses that range from 10 to 79 times lower than background. Here, we discuss some of the technical constraints to shield cells from radiation to below-background levels, as well as different approaches used to detect and measure responses to such unusual environmental conditions. Then, we present data from Shewanella oneidensis and Deinococcus radiodurans experiments that show how two taxonomically distant bacterial species sense and respond to unnaturally low levels of radiation. Finally, in brief, we grew S. oneidensis and D. radiodurans in liquid culture at dose rates of 72.05 (control) and 0.91 (treatment) nGy hr-1 (including radon) for up to 72 h and measured cell density and the expression of stress-related genes. Our results suggest that a stress response is triggered in the absence of normal levels of radiation.},
doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2017.00177},
journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology},
number = ,
volume = 8,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 14 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Tue Feb 14 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

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The Cosmic Silence experiment: on the putative adaptive role of environmental ionizing radiation
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  • Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, Vol. 48, Issue 2
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The multifaceted capacity of Dps proteins to combat bacterial stress conditions: Detoxification of iron and hydrogen peroxide and DNA binding
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  • Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects, Vol. 1800, Issue 8
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How radiation kills cells: Survival of Deinococcus radiodurans and Shewanella oneidensis under oxidative stress
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A new perspective on radiation resistance based on Deinococcus radiodurans
journal, January 2009


RBE-LET Relationship for the Survival of V79 Cells Irradiated with Low Energy Protons
journal, January 1989

  • Belli, M.; Cherubini, R.; Finotto, S.
  • International Journal of Radiation Biology, Vol. 55, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1080/09553008914550101

Creating a baseline radiological standard for the waste isolation pilot plant underground
journal, September 2004


SOS induction by γ-radiation in Escherichia coli strains defective in repair and/or recombination mechanisms
journal, January 1998


Expression of recA in Deinococcus radiodurans.
journal, January 1996


Molecular and Evolutionary Basis of the Cellular Stress Response
journal, March 2005


Growth Retardation of Paramecium and Mouse Cells by Shielding Them from Background Radiation
journal, January 2012

  • Kawanishi, Masanobu; Okuyama, Katsuyuki; Shiraishi, Kazunori
  • Journal of Radiation Research, Vol. 53, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1269/jrr.11145

Escherichia coli under Ionic Silver Stress: An Integrative Approach to Explore Transcriptional, Physiological and Biochemical Responses
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