-Deinococcus radiodurans

   -"Strange berry that withstands radiation"

  -Can survive radiation level-3,000 times greater-kill human

  -Most radioresistant organism known

  -Can be found almost anywhere

-Structure

  -Aerobic

  -Colonies-red-pink microbes

  -Can stain Gram + and -

  -No flagella

  -Asexual-cell division

  -Radioresistance

    -Special repair proteins + RecA

    -4-10 copies of genome

-History

  -Origins-2 billion yrs old

  -Now-plenty-radioactive environments but not-2 bil yrs

  -Where-come from/Why so strong?

    -Outer space-Mars?

      -Conan-like bact elsewhere

    -Earth-extreme environments

    -Earth-other causes (not radiation)

  -Discovered-1956 A.W. Anderson-Corvallis, OR

  -Spoiled meat-meant-sterilized by radiation

  -Questions still abound

-Uses

  -Bioremediation

  -Radiation-resistance-can survive in waste sites

  -But can't destroy waste

  -Until DNA restructured-E. coli

  -Heavy metals, mercury, etc.

  -Yet to be fully utilized