The Effect of Heavy Ion Irradiation on the Metabolism of Technologically and Biologically Significant Microorganisms: Biotechnological Prospects of Application

Purpose: To review the literature on the use of heavy ion beam mutagenesis for selecting various microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, yeast, and microalgae, for biotechnological purposes. Material and methods: Data have been collected over the past 15 years on the metabolic effects of mutants exposed to heavy ions, biotechnologically significant microbiological objects (bacteria, fungi, algae). Results and discussion: The biotechnological and genetic significance, as well as the morphological and other aspects of the detected changes in mutant microbiological objects, are discussed. Currently, heavy ion irradiation-induced mutagenesis with high linear energy transfer and biological efficiency is recognized as a powerful new method for creating microbial strains with previously unknown properties. We believe that targeted breeding using heavy ion mutagenesis will make a significant contribution to the development of industrial producer strains for biotechnology. Conclusion: The studies discussed in this review indicate that the use of ion beam mutagenesis for microorganisms can be beneficial for both fundamental science and applied research.