Genome sequence of the radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans R1

Abstract

The complete genome sequence of the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans R1 is composed of two chromosomes (2,648,638 and 412,348 base pairs), a megaplasmid (177,466 base pairs), and a small plasmid (45,704 base pairs), yielding a total genome of 3,284, 156 base pairs. Multiple components distributed on the chromosomes and megaplasmid that contribute to the ability of D. radiodurans to survive under conditions of starvation, oxidative stress, and high amounts of DNA damage were identified. Deinococcus radiodurans represents an organism in which all systems for DNA repair, DNA damage export, desiccation and starvation recovery, and genetic redundancy are present in one cell.

Figure 1. The D. radiodurans genome

A. Circular representation. The location of predicted coding regions color-coded by biological role, repeats, insertion elements, rRNA genes, tRNA genes, sRNA genes, and transporters are indicated on the four circular molecules of D. radiodurans. B. Linear representation of the genome. Recent gene duplications between molecules (18) are linked by lines; the color of each link corresponds to particular functional categories. Recent duplications within molecules are not shown. Genes duplicated between molecules are linked by lines. Circular and linear molecules are not drawn to scale.

Figure 2