Why is it in the news?
Researchers found that the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans can survive extremely high pressures during planetary ejection.
The discovery highlights its extraordinary resilience to extreme environmental conditions.
Category: S&T
Important Points:
● Deinococcus radiodurans is a bacterium known for extreme resistance to ionizing radiation.
● It is gram-positive, non-motile and has a reddish colour.
● First discovered in 1956 in canned meat treated with radiation.
● Nicknamed “Conan the Bacterium” for its ability to survive harsh environments.
● Can withstand radiation doses thousands of times higher than lethal levels for humans.
● Considered the most radiation-resistant organism on Earth.
● Resistance is linked to metabolites combined with manganese forming powerful antioxidants.
● The enzyme thioredoxin reductase helps repair broken DNA strands.
● It can survive extreme cold, dehydration, vacuum and acidic environments.