Key points
- The use of back reflection microscopy allows the discovery of a small
subpopulation of Deinococcus radiodurans exhibiting
extraordinary silver ion metabolism.
- Combining fluorescence microscopy and bright field microscopy we
further show the subpopulation all contain correlated relatively low
levels of superoxide radicals.
- The findings from the angle of exploring inter-functional relationship
directly supports the polyvalent strategy currently proposed for the
polyextremophile for survivals against various sources of oxidative
damage.