NOVELTY - New variant of Halobacterium sp. NCR-1 strain comprises increased gene transcripts of rfa3, rfa8 and ral with at least a 1.9-4 fold increase of such genes transcripts relative to a wild type Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 strain.    USE - The variant of Halobacterium sp. NCR-1 strain, biological indicator, and methods are useful for isolating variants of halophile Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 that exhibit resistance to extreme levels of radiation; for decontaminating a waste site comprising radioactive materials; and for ensuring the quality control of radiation sterilization in the food industry, hospital settings or space travel (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The novel isolated Halobacterium exhibit increased resistance to radiation and may be used for bioremediation of toxic and highly radioactive waste sites and/or for studying and modulating the mechanism involved in such resistance. On the other hand the methods are rapid and simple.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are: (1) a method of isolating variants of halophile Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 that exhibit resistance to extreme levels of radiation, comprising: (a) providing a culture medium comprising the NRC-1 Halobacterium sp; (b) irradiating the culture with at least a dose rate of 10-30 kGy/second; (c) isolating the viable Halobacterium strains; (d) repeating (b) and (c) at least one additional time; and (e) selecting and isolating variants of Halobacterium displaying increased gene transcripts of rfa3, rfa8 and ral with at least 1.9-4 fold increase relative to the wild- type and/or non-irradiated Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 strain; (2) a method for decontaminating a waste site comprising radioactive materials, comprising: (a) introducing a variant mutant Halobacterium sp NRC-1 strain into the waste site; and (b)providing sufficient nutrients for maintaining the culture for decontaminating waste products in the waste site; (3) a biological indicator to ensure the quality control of radiation sterilization in the food industry, hospital settings or space travel, where the biological indicator is the mutant Halobacterium. sp NRC-1 strain, after exposing the Halobacterium sp NRC-1 strain four cycles of radiation; and (4) a halophile Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 that exhibit resistance to extreme levels of radiation produced by: (a) providing the culture medium comprising the NRC-1 Halobacterium sp; (b) irradiating the culture with at least a dose rate of 10-30 kGy/second; (c) isolating the viable Halobacterium strains; (d) repeating (b) and (c) at least three additional time; and (e) selecting and isolating variants of Halobacterium that display increased gene transcripts of rfa3, rfa8 and ral with at least a 1.9-4 fold increase relative to the wild-type and/or non-irradiated Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 strain.