Survival and adaptation strategies of microorganisms in the extreme radiation

There are variations in the physical and chemical conditions on various places of the earth, and living organisms thrive in every territory. All organisms have an ideal growth condition to thrive and reproduce, which is their optimum growth condition. Some organisms can grow in extreme conditions such as high temperature, high pressure, high radiations, and extreme pH and are known as extremophiles. Extreme conditions are typical for such organisms, and they are biochemically and metabolically active. Radiation damages the genome of the microorganisms and leads to mutation. For their survival, DNA repair mechanism of radio-resistant microorganisms involves several damage repair strategies that involve the extended synthesis-dependent strand annealing and RecF pathway that allows them to repair radioactive damages. Some microorganisms are highly resistant to different types of radiation, known as radio-resistant microorganisms. They have developed various mechanisms like producing mycosporine-like amino acids for survival in high radiation exposure. Understanding the survival mechanisms of these organisms would enlighten the path of evolution and, most importantly, in our quest for extra-terrestrial life.