The most powerful bacteria in the world under the microscope –

It is the three-dimensional structure of one of the large protein complexes in the cell envelope of radiation-resistant bacteria, revealed in the new study from the Universities of Umeå and Cagliari. The research team identified the components that give the protein complex protective functions and how they are regulated.

The protein complex containing the scientifically named S-class denoxanthin binding complex, SDBC, is important for UV resistance.

Central to the protective functions of SDBC is not only the formation of unusual amino acids, but also the presence of iron and copper ions, powerful antioxidants such as dinoxanthin, a pigment from the carotene family, and specific phospholipids, all of which are exclusive to these bacteria, says Dominica Farsi, postdoctoral fellow In the group of Wolfgang Schroeder in the Department of Chemistry at Umeå University.

The hardest bacteria in the world

Deinococcus radiodurans It was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the deadliest bacteria in the world. As a bacterium-loving bacterium, it has amazing drought and heat tolerance and can withstand a dose of gamma radiation 15,000 times higher than that enough to kill a human, making this bacterium unique.

*Extreme organisms are organisms characterized by living or living under harsh living conditions that are generally detrimental to life on Earth.

The biggest burins the world has seen

Cliffs, Dominica Farsi and Professor Dario Piano at the University of Cagliari in Italy, demonstrate how the SDBC complex covers the entire cell surface and acts as a shield against UV rays, but at the same time does not prevent the exchange of nutrients with the surrounding environment for survival. The specific channel proteins that perform this function are called purines. The study also showed that in the study, these porins appear to be seven to ten times larger than other porins known to date.

The new knowledge is important as the results obtained can be used for application in biomedicine to develop a new generation of antibiotics and in nanotechnology to develop new biomaterials that can be used in photonics and production of biosensors.

Scientific material:

The cryo-EM structure of the S-layer deinoxanthin binding complex of Deinococcus radiodurans informs the characteristics of their environmental interactions. (Farci D, Haniewicz P, de Sanctis D, Iesu L, Kereïche S, Winterhalter M, Piano D. 🙂 Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Contact:

Domenica Farci, Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, [email protected]
Dario piano Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari[email protected] ., Italy