..."This remarkable ability to mend DNA is a puzzle. Scientists have not been able to explain its origins or identify genes in D. radiodurans that confer superiority in repairing DNA.
Now, a study in today's issue of Science suggests that D. radiodurans survives because its genome is arranged in densely packed rings, called toroids. These donut-like shapes keep shards of DNA in close proximity after a dose of shattering radiation, allowing the microbe to make repairs without having to hunt around for hundreds of loose fragments."....
