Radiation stimulation during the early stationary growth phase in Synechococcus lividus and its correlation with photooxidative stress occurring before the stationary phase.

The effects of chronic gamma radiation at dose rates ranging from 0.058 mGy d-1 on growth rate calculated during the early stationary phase were studied. A stimulatory effect occurred for all doses and for all phases of the cells selected for use in the inoculation of the medium. During the same period, the rate of nucleic acid synthesis was increased in irradiated cultures compared to control cultures. The stimulating effect always occurred in cultures irradiated from the inoculation to the eighteenth day only. This result led us to conclude that the stimulation mechanism depended upon the events occurring at the end of the exponential phase in the deceleration period. Studies on cell metabolism showed that cells presented features of photooxidative stress in this period. Increases in superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were observed in irradiated cultures. It was assumed that irradiation at very low doses could help cells to better defend against photooxidative stress by increasing oxidants that activate the glucose metabolism and C5-sugars production and nucleic acid synthesis.