Inactivation of Two Homologues of Proteins Presumed to Be Involved in the Desiccation Tolerance of Plants Sensitizes Deinococcus radiodurans R1 to Desiccation

• Published in: Cryobiology Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 133 - 139
• Main Authors: Battista, John R., Park, Mie-Jung, McLemore, Andrew E.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01-09-2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Action of physical and chemical agents on bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacteria - radiation effects; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Deinococcus radiodurans; Desiccation; DNA Repair; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DR1172 gene; DRB0118 gene; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, Bacterial; Magnoliopsida - genetics; Magnoliopsida - metabolism; Microbiology; Mutagenesis, Insertional; Mutation; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Radiation Tolerance - genetics; Desiccation; Site directed mutagenesis; Environmental factor; Homology; Deinococcus radiodurans; Inactivation; Protein; Sensitivity resistance; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Scrophulariaceae; Micrococcales; Bacteria; Micrococcaceae; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0011-2240; 1090-2392
• DOI: 10.1006/cryo.2001.2357

Mutational inactivation of the genes designated DR1172 and DRB0118 in Deinococcus radiodurans R1 greatly sensitizes this species to desiccation, but not to ionizing radiation. These genes encode proteins that share features with the desiccation-induced LEA76 proteins of many plants and the PCC13-62 protein of Craterostigma plantagineum, suggesting that D. radiodurans may serve as a useful model for the study of desiccation tolerance in higher organisms.