Adaptation to mountain γ-background: bacteria speciation

Abstract

Purpose: To study the adaptation of bacteria to the natural γ-background of mountains and anthropogenic emissions from nuclear power plants; to establish the main factors of variability and speciation of bacteria.

Method: Analysis of materials on the radiation background and its impact on living organisms in the landscape of Armenia, calculation of the absorbed dose by microbes due to rock radiation.

Results: The review shows the death, reproduction, radioresistance and speciation of bacteria in changing conditions of low variable natural and anthropogenic γ-background.

Conclusion: We assume that γ-rays from rocks activate cellular epigenetic mechanisms that regulate genome expression, signaling and, ultimately, variability of bacteria. Some of them have already been studied, others require research.

Keywords: Climate change; bacteria; epigenetic mechanisms; human-generated radiation; migration; mountains; natural radiation; rodent accumulation; speciation; γ-background.