Survival, Deoxyribonucleic Acid Breakdown, and Synthesis in Salmonella typhimurium as Compared with Escherichia coli B Strains

Abstract

Salmonella typhimurium LT-2 was compared with radioresistant (B/r) and radiosensitive (B s − 2 ) strains of Escherichia coli in respect to the survival, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) breakdown, and DNA synthesis after X irradiation. It is shown that S. typhimurium LT-2 is about four times more sensitive than E. coli B/r but less sensitive than B s − 2 . The DNA breakdown is in S. typhimurium LT-2 lower than the postirradiation breakdown of DNA in both E. coli strains and DNA synthesis proceeds in this bacterium in spite of a much lower survival, as in the radioresistant E. coli B/r.