Exploitation of microbial resources for radioprotector development: current status at Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences

Microbial life can thrive in harsh environment including high radiation background. Development of radioresistance can be an outcome of the molecular synchronizing adaptability of the radioresistant microbe to radiation mediated oxidative damage. Molecular synchronization includes synthesis of novel biomolecules by radioresistance microbes to combat oxidative stress caused by ionizing radiation. Therefore, novel microbial products produced against ionizing radiation stress can be exploited as radioprotector for mammalian system too. Aligned with this hypothesis, we have isolated novel radioresistant bacteria and further purified a novel molecule RK-IP-006 with significant radioprotective efficacy. Isolated radioprotective biomolecule RK-IP-006 provide excellent whole body radioprotection (∼80%) to the mice when administered 2h before lethal irradiation (9 Gy). RK-IP-006 showed significant radioprotection to proteins, enzymes and DNA against gamma radiation