Radiation can cause severe DNA damage. However, some microorganisms have developed resistance mechanisms to survive under extreme levels of radiation. Some of these microorganisms have been extensively studied in search of the key to their radioresistance, which could have many applications in genetic engineering and space exploration. In addition, the absence of radiation has been shown to have a negative impact on certain microorganisms, raising the hypothesis that this absence may generate inefficient DNA repair systems.
This proposal proposes to study the molecular basis of the effect that environmental radiation has on the genomic integrity of model organisms (prokaryotes and eukaryotes), and in turn, the development of improved microorganisms for survival in extreme environments, using conditions similar to those of Mars or the International Space Station, to study their possible implications in the development of environments conducive to life.
Exposure of cultures to X-rays.