Proteometabolomic Response of Deinococcus radiodurans Exposed to
Radiation and Extending its Application to Radiation Protected
Spacesuit.
- Upasana Mohanty,
- DR. KRISHNENDU GHOSH,
- Shireen Mathur
Abstract
Deinococcus radiodurans has been reported to show remarkable resistance
to ionizing radiation, desiccation, oxidizing compounds, UV radiation
and mutagens. Since the 1960s, several exposure tests on diverse
bacteria in space have been conducted to study the possibility of
interplanetary life transfer and this bacterium pertains to a distinct
gram-negative eubacterial lineage that is considered to be most closely
related to the genus Thermus. The chemical reaction of D. radiodurans
after exposure to space-related radiation and vacuum was studied in the
concerned research that extends the application of the Tanpopo mission
conducted by Japan. Certain tests like Scanning electron microscopy
demonstrated that irradiated cell shape and cellular integrity were
unaffected, whereas combined proteome and metabolomic research revealed
significant molecular modifications in metabolic and stress response
pathways. Taking this into account reinforced with simulation studies,
we propose fabrication of a wearable radiation-shielding bio-spacesuit
to protect the astronauts and prevent the onset of acute radiation
damage. The main focus of this study is on the idea of incorporating the
organism's composition mechanisms either into the five layers of mylar
or aerogel of spacesuit in order to prevent damaging radiation in space.