“Strange berry that withstands radiation” is an interesting name for any element, which many would agree, but to the scientific world it is known as Deinococcus radiodurans. It is the most radiation-resistant and the world’s toughest bacteria known. D. radiodurans was discovered in a spoiled can of ground beef after being contaminated with radiation about fifty years ago. (3) This bacteria is red pigmented, non-motile, and a gram-positive. This organism can grow continuously at six kilorads and it can survive an irradiation dose of 1,500 kilorads. (4) Out of the all the agents and conditions that can damage DNA, D. radiodurans is remarkably resistance. Around the 1950’s when it was discovered it was first named Micrococcus radiodurans. It…show more content… Since Thermus and Deinococcus are so closely related it is suggested that they have a common ancestor that was thermophilic, which is the reason for their similar characteristics. Considering the resistance to heat, Deinococcus could have evolved it from an ancestor. D. radiodurans has a numerous amount of qualities that it special and unique than any other bacteria. According to NIH Public Access there are various amounts of chromosomes and megaplasmid that contribute to the capability of this bacteria, such as “…to survive under conditions of starvation, oxidative stress, and high levels of DNA-damage have been identified… genetic redundancy are present in one cell.” (1) It was selected to for sequencing because it’s naturally transformable and is responsive to genetic manipulation. No one really knows the microbes’ natural habitat but it can be found on things in the Earth’s environment that resemble Mars. It is said that prevention, tolerance, and repair can be a result of why this microbe can withstand the damaging effects of ionizing and ultraviolet irradiation. There are various prevention genes located in D.