Molecular response of Deinococcus radiodurans exposed to vacuum conditions of Low Earth Orbit

Abstract

The polyextremophile, gram-positive bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans is able to withstand harsh conditions of real and simulated outer space environment, e.g., extreme temperature fluctuations, desiccation, UV radiation, and ionizing radiation. A long-term space exposure of D. radiodurans has been performed in exposure experiments at low Earth orbit in frames of the Tanpopo orbital mission aiming to investigate the possibility of interplanetary transfer of life. Although it is important to analyse the impact of space environmental factors simultaneously, it is also crucial to investigate these factors separately under controlled conditions in order to decipher fundamental response mechanisms involved.