Proteome dynamics during post-desiccation recovery reveal convergence of desiccation and gamma radiation stress response pathways in Deinococcus radiodurans

•Fifteen months of desiccation caused 50% loss of survival in D. radiodurans.•Forty one proteins were differentially expressed during post-desiccation recovery.•DNA repair proteins showed high fold change in expression.•CRP/FNR family transcriptional regulator showed high induction.•Data suggests convergence of desiccation and radiation response pathways.

Deinococcus radiodurans is inherently resistant to both ionizing radiation and desiccation. Fifteen months of desiccation was found to be the LD50 dose for D. radiodurans. Desiccated cells of D. radiodurans entered 6 h of growth arrest during post-desiccation recovery (PDR). Proteome dynamics during PDR were mapped by resolving cellular proteins by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry. At least 41 proteins, represented by 51 spots on proteome profiles, were differentially expressed throughout PDR. High upregulation in expression was observed for DNA repair proteins involved in single strand annealing (DdrA and DdrB), nucleotide excision repair (UvrA and UvrB), homologous recombination (RecA) and other vital proteins that contribute to DNA replication, recombination and repair (Ssb, GyrA and GyrB). Expression of CRP/FNR family transcriptional regulator (Crp) remained high throughout PDR. Other pathways such as cellular detoxification, protein homeostasis and metabolism displayed both, moderately induced and repressed proteins. Functional relevance of proteomic modulations to surviving desiccation stress is discussed in detail. Comparison of our data with the published literature revealed convergence of radiation and desiccation stress responses of D. radiodurans. This is the first report that substantiates the hypothesis that the radiation stress resistance of D. radiodurans is incidental to its desiccation stress resistance.

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