Late embryogenesis abundant group3 protein (DrLEA3) is involved in antioxidation in the extremophilic bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans.

Deinococcus radiodurans is able to survive under extreme conditions, including high doses of ionizing radiation, desiccation and oxidative stress. In addition to enhanced DNA repair capabilities, an effective antioxidation system plays an important role in its robustness. Previous studies have linked the radiation resistance of D. radiodurans to its prolonged desiccation tolerance phenotype, which both cause DNA damage. In the current study, we investigated the roles of dr_1172 in D. radiodurans, the gene encoding a typical group 3 LEA protein (DrLEA3) conserved within Deinococcus species. In addition to the increased transcriptional level under oxidative stress, the inactivation of dr_1172-sensitized cells to H2O2 treatments and the reduced cellular antioxidation activities suggested that dr_1172 is involved in the cellular defense against oxidative stress. Moreover, DrLEA3 was enriched at the cell membrane and bound to various types of metal ions. Cells devoid of DrLEA3 showed a decreased intracellular Mn/Fe concentration ratio, indicating that DrLEA3 also plays a role in maintaining metal ion homeostasis in vivo.