Radiosensitivity of Bacillus subtilis under Different Environmental Conditions

Research has been under way for several years in a number of laboratories to modify the radiosensitivity of microorganisms when exposed to ionizing radiations (1-13). The susceptibility of E. coli to destruction by ionizing radiations and the ease with which its radiosensitivity can be modified by physical and chemical means have been investigated by Hollaender and his associates (3, 5, 6). More recently the results of an extensive study on this organism have been published by these laboratories (4). The investigation reported in the present paper was undertaken to ascertain the degree to which the radiosensitivity of a spore-forming aerobic bacterium, Bacillus subtilis, can be modified by environmental factors.