microorganisms Article Genetic Responses of Metabolically Active Limnospira indica Strain PCC 8005 Exposed to γ-Radiation during Its Lifecycle Anu Yadav 1,2 , Laurens Maertens 1,3, Tim Meese 4, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh 4 , Mohamed Mysara 1, Natalie Leys 1 , Ann Cuypers 2 and Paul Jaak Janssen 1,* 1 Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKCEN), 2400 Mol, Belgium;
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[email protected] (F.V.N.) * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +32-14-332-129 Abstract: Two morphotypes of the cyanobacterial Limnospira indica (formerly Arthrospira sp.) strain PCC 8005, denoted as P2 (straight trichomes) and P6 (helical trichomes), were subjected to chronic −1 gamma radiation from spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods at a dose rate of ca. 80 Gy·h for one mass doubling period (approximately 3 days) under continuous light with photoautotrophic metabolism Citation: Yadav, A.; Maertens, L.; fully active. Samples were taken for post-irradiation growth recovery and RNA-Seq transcriptional Meese, T.; Van Nieuwerburgh, F.; analysis at time intervals of 15, 40, and 71.5 h corresponding to cumulative doses of ca. 1450, 3200, and Mysara, M.; Leys, N.; Cuypers, A.; 5700 Gy, respectively.