| Abstract |
Attempts to isolate the naturally occurring ultra-violet resistant bacteria from environmental sources were made. The isolates, designated No.29, 100, and 107, among numbers of bacterial isolates revealed a remarkable resistance to UV ray, whose degree of resistance in dose/response kinetics was comparable to that of an endospore-former, Bacillus subtilis. In a range of 100-300 Jm^-2/min of UV irradiation, the isolates exhibited 500-1000 fold resistance compared with E. coli. The isolated appeared to possess cell-bound pigment of organge or crimson-red. The isolate 29 is spherical in pairs or tetrads, whereas the isolates 100 and 107 are rod. All are Gram-gositive bacteria and seemed to be non-endospore-bearer. A number of biochemical studies pursued on the isolates suggested that they are quite different to each other. Electron microscopic examination and the physiological characters of the isolate 29 suggested that this UV resistant spherical bacterium might be one species of Deinococcus, probably Deinococus radiophilus. Since there is no documents on UV resistant, Gram-positive, non-sporeformer bacillus so far, the isolates 100 and 107 might be turned out as new kinds of UV resistant bacteria occurring in nature by further investigation. |
