High-quality genome sequence of the radioresistant bacterium KS 0460.

The genetic platforms of species remain the only systems in which massive ionizing radiation (IR)-induced genome damage can be investigated in vivo at exposures commensurate with cellular survival. We report the whole genome sequence of the extremely IR-resistant rod-shaped bacterium KS 0460 and its phenotypic characterization. KS 0460 has been studied since 1987, first under the name , then . The KS 0460 genome consists of a 4.019 Mbp sequence (69.7% GC content and 3894 predicted genes) divided into six genome partitions, five of which are confirmed to be circular. Circularity was determined manually by mate pair linkage. Approximately 76% of the predicted proteins contained identifiable Pfam domains and 72% were assigned to COGs. Of all KS 0460 proteins, 79% and 70% had homologues in ATCC BAA-816 and DSM 11300, respectively. The most striking differences between KS 0460 and BAA-816 identified by the comparison of the KEGG pathways were as follows: (i) lacks nine enzymes of purine degradation present in , and (ii) contains eight enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate and nitrite reductases, that lacks. Moreover, genes previously considered to be important to IR resistance are missing in KS 0460, namely, for the Mn-transporter , and proteins DdrF, DdrJ and DdrK, all of which are also missing in . Otherwise, KS 0460 exemplifies the lineage.