Background radiation

[Sariaht]

What is the ultimate background radiation for evolving bacterias and is there a such?

[aychamo]

errrrrrrrrr. I'm sorry, I have no idea what you are asking.

[Sariaht]

Does some radioaktivity help bacterias evolve and how radioactive should the environment be to make bacterias evolve the quickest?

[iansmith]

Radioation is almost at the bottom of the list for causing mutation in bacteria that are not in a artificial setting. It appear that the system (SOS system) that repairs the damage cause by UV plays a role a in something called "adaptive" mutation. It is also refered to stress-induce mutation. It appears that bacteria are subject to various stress such as the lack of proper nutrient are capable of activating the SOS system and therefore increase the mutation rate.

Radiation would probably have a bad effect for the most bacteria as most mutation are deleterious and bacteria at some point would be come resistance and the radiation would have not significant effect.

[NoTime]

I recall something about mutation rates being minimized at a certain background radiation level.

[Sariaht]

Biological superconduction sort'a!