6533b853fe1ef96bd12ac0aa
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Survival in extreme dryness and DNA-single-strand breaks.
M. LabuschA. Bieger-doseM. GillKlaus Dosesubject
DNA BacterialAtmospheric ScienceDNA RepairVacuumDNA damageDNA repairAerospace EngineeringGerminationBiologyAgar gelchemistry.chemical_compoundmedicineDesiccationDNA single strandElectrophoresis Agar GelSpores BacterialAstronomy and AstrophysicsCell biologyGeophysicschemistrySpace and Planetary ScienceGeneral Earth and Planetary SciencesDrynessAutoradiographymedicine.symptomDesiccationDNABacillus subtilisDNA Damagedescription
A wide variety of organisms (the so-called "anhydrobiotes') is able to survive long periods of time in a state of utmost dehydration and can thus survive in extremely dry environments including artificially imposed or space vacuum. Known strategies of survival include the accumulation of certain polyols, especially disaccharides, which help prevent damage to membranes and proteins. Here we report that DNA in vacuum-dried spores is damaged to a very substantial degree by processes leading to DNA strand breaks. Most of these lesions are obviously repaired during germination, but extensive damage to DNA and enzymes after long exposure times (months to years) finally diminish the chances of survival.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-01-01 | Advances in space research : the official journal of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) |