Analysis of Genome Variability of Escherichia coli When Exposed to Ionizing Radiation

The study of changes in the genetic apparatus of biological systems due to the influence of physical factors contributes to understanding the mechanisms of adaptation. The article is devoted to the analysis of the genome of the modified Escherichia coli PL-6 variant obtained as a result of repeated and gradually increasing exposure to ⁶⁰Co γ rays at the Researcher facility. The integrity of the genetic material of the studied bacterial cells was checked by electrophoresis in 1.7% agarose gel. For the analysis of genome modifications, primers were designed to amplify several loci characterized by homology in a variety of E. coli strains. On the basis of the indicators of the number and size of amplified products using each of the presented primer combinations in E. coli before and after gamma irradiation, a significant change in the genome was established.