Characterization of the adaptive response to ionizing radiation induced by low doses of X-rays to Vibrio cholerae cells.

Pretreatment with sublethal doses of X-rays induced an adaptive response in Vibrio cholerae cells as indicated by their greater resistance to the subsequent challenging doses of X-irradiation. The adaptive response was maximum following a pre-exposure dose of 1.7 Gy X-rays and an optimum incubation period of 40 min at 37 degrees C. Pre-exposure to a sublethal dose of 1.7 Gy X-rays made the Vibrio cholerae cells 3.38-fold more resistant to the subsequent challenge by X-rays. Pretreatment with a sublethal dose of hydrogen peroxide offered a similar degree of protection to the bacterial cells against subsequent treatment with challenging doses of X-ray radiation. However, exposure of Vibrio cholerae cells to mild heat (42 degrees C for 10 min) before X-ray irradiation decreased their survival following X-irradiation.