title: Diversity of ionizing radiation-resistant bacteria obtained from the Taklimakan Desert.
abstract: So far, little is known about the diversity of the radiation-resistant microbes of the hyperarid Taklimakan Desert. In this study, ionizing radiation (IR)-resistant bacteria from two sites in Xinjiang were investigated. After exposing the arid (water content of 0.8 ± 0.3%) and non-arid (water content of 21.3 ± 0.9%) sediment samples to IR of 3000 Gy using a (60)Co source, a total of 52 γ-radiation-resistant bacteria were isolated from the desert sample. The 16S rRNA genes of all isolates were sequenced. The phylogenetic tree places these isolates into five groups: Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides, Proteobacteria, Deinococcus-Thermus, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Interestingly, this is the first report of radiation-resistant bacteria belonging to the genera Knoellia, Lysobacter, Nocardioides, Paracoccus, Pontibacter, Rufibacter and Microvirga. The 16s rRNA genes of four isolates showed low sequence similarities to those of the published species. Phenotypic analysis showed that all bacteria in this study are able to produce catalase, suggesting that these bacteria possess reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging enzymes. These radiation-resistant bacteria also displayed diverse metabolic properties. Moreover, their radiation resistances were found to differ. The diversity of the radiation-resistant bacteria in the desert provides further ecological support for the hypothesis that the ionizing-radiation resistance phenotype is a consequence of the evolution of ROS-scavenging systems that protect cells against oxidative damage caused by desiccation.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Li Zhi-Han
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xue-Song
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiaoyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002681:China; D003889:Desert Climate; D005720:Gamma Rays; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000528:radiation effects; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002374:Catalase
keywords: Arid environment; Bacteria; Ionizing-radiation resistance; Phylogenetic diversity