Ultraviolet Resistance of Microorganisms Isolated from Uranium-Rich Minerals from Perus, Brazil

Author(s)

Poletto, Barbara ; Silva, Gabriel Goncalves ; de Carvalho, Ana Carolina Souza Ramos ; Vincenzi, Roberta Almeida ; de Almeida, Eiji Yamassaki ; Galante, Douglas ; Bendia, Amanda Goncalves ; Rodrigues, Fabio

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ASTROBIOLOGY; v. 24, n. 8, p. 12-pg., 2024-06-10.

Abstract

The district of Perus, located in the city of S & atilde;o Paulo, Brazil, is renowned for its weathered granitic-pegmatitic masses, which harbor a significant number of uraniferous minerals that contribute to ionizing radiation levels up to 20 times higher than the background levels. In this study, aseptically collected mineral samples from the area were utilized to isolate 15 microorganisms, which were subjected to pre-screening tests involving UV-C and UV-B radiation. The microorganisms that exhibited the highest resistance to ultraviolet (UV) radiation were selected for the construction of survival curves for UV-C, broad-band UV-B, and solar simulation resistance testing. Subsequently, the four strains that demonstrated superior survival capabilities under UV radiation exposure were chosen for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among these, Nocardioides sp. O4R and Nocardioides sp. MA2R demonstrated the most promising outcomes in the UV radiation resistance assessments, showcasing comparable performance to the well-established radioresistant model organism Deinococcus radiodurans. These findings underscore the potential of naturally occurring high-radiation environments as valuable resources for the investigation of UV-resistant microorganisms. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/06160-8 - Sampling and modeling Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAPS) at South-Southern Brazil: associated to improvements of climate models
• Grantee: Fabio Rodrigues
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/06114-6 - The Neoproterozoic Earth System and the rise of biological complexity
• Grantee: Ricardo Ivan Ferreira da Trindade
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/05083-8 - Nanoscale multitechnical synchrotron characterization applied to the problem of biogenicity of minerals
• Grantee: Douglas Galante
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants