Basal DNA repair machinery is subject to positive selection in ionizing-radiation-resistant bacteria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ionizing-radiation-resistant bacteria (IRRB) show a surprising capacity for adaptation to ionizing radiation and desiccation. Positive Darwinian selection is expected to play an important role in this trait, but no data are currently available regarding the role of positive adaptive selection in resistance to ionizing-radiation and tolerance of desiccation. We analyzed the four known genome sequences of IRRB (Deinococcus geothermalis, Deinococcus radiodurans, Kineococcus radiotolerans, and Rubrobacter xylanophilus) to determine the role of positive Darwinian selection in the evolution of resistance to ionizing radiation and tolerance of desiccation.

Results

We used the programs MultiParanoid and DnaSP to deduce the sets of orthologs that potentially evolved due to

SUBMITTER: Sghaier H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2441631 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature