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Why a Bacteria Can Withstand Radiation Which Would Kill a Human
robot(spnet, 1) — All
2024-12-15 09:22:01
Long-time Slashdot reader smooth wombat writes: Scientist have unlocked the secret to a bacteria dubbed 'Conan the Bacterium' which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most radiant-resistant life-form. Deinococcus radiodurans can withstand radiation doses 28,000 times greater than that which would kill a human [and every other organism]. In addition, this bacteria can survive on the outside of the International Space Station for three years. It can also withstand acid, cold, and dehydration (a D&D player's worst nightmare). All of this protection comes down to a unique antioxidant. The antioxidant is formed by a simple group of small molecules called metabolites, including manganese, phosphate and a small peptide, or molecule, of amino acids.
CNN reports:
The antioxidant is formed by a simple group of small molecules called metabolites, including manganese, phosphate and a small peptide, or molecule, of amino acids. Together, this powerful trilogy is more effective in protecting against radiation than manganese combined with just one of the other components, according to a new study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The findings could be used to protect astronauts from high doses of cosmic radiation on future deep-space missions across our solar system, according to the study authors.
âoeWeâ(TM)ve long known that manganese ions and phosphate together make a strong antioxidant, but discovering and understanding the âmagicâ(TM) potency provided by the addition of the third component is a breakthrough," said study coauthor Brian Hoffman, the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry and professor of molecular biosciences at Northwestern Universityâ(TM)s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, in a statement...
On Earth, the antioxidant could be used for protection against accidents that release radiation.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/15/0142225/why-a-bacteria-can-withstand-radiation-which-would-kill-a-human?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot(spnet, 1) — All
2024-12-15 09:22:01
Long-time Slashdot reader smooth wombat writes: Scientist have unlocked the secret to a bacteria dubbed 'Conan the Bacterium' which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most radiant-resistant life-form. Deinococcus radiodurans can withstand radiation doses 28,000 times greater than that which would kill a human [and every other organism]. In addition, this bacteria can survive on the outside of the International Space Station for three years. It can also withstand acid, cold, and dehydration (a D&D player's worst nightmare). All of this protection comes down to a unique antioxidant. The antioxidant is formed by a simple group of small molecules called metabolites, including manganese, phosphate and a small peptide, or molecule, of amino acids.
CNN reports:
The antioxidant is formed by a simple group of small molecules called metabolites, including manganese, phosphate and a small peptide, or molecule, of amino acids. Together, this powerful trilogy is more effective in protecting against radiation than manganese combined with just one of the other components, according to a new study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The findings could be used to protect astronauts from high doses of cosmic radiation on future deep-space missions across our solar system, according to the study authors.
âoeWeâ(TM)ve long known that manganese ions and phosphate together make a strong antioxidant, but discovering and understanding the âmagicâ(TM) potency provided by the addition of the third component is a breakthrough," said study coauthor Brian Hoffman, the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry and professor of molecular biosciences at Northwestern Universityâ(TM)s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, in a statement...
On Earth, the antioxidant could be used for protection against accidents that release radiation.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/15/0142225/why-a-bacteria-can-withstand-radiation-which-would-kill-a-human?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.