Fungal life in the extremely hypersaline water of the Dead Sea: first records.
The first report, to our knowledge, on the occurrence of filamentous fungi in the hypersaline (340 g salt l-1) Dead Sea is presented. Three species of filamentous fungi from surface water samples of the Dead Sea were isolated: Gymnascella marismortui (Ascomycota), which is described as a new species, Ulocladium chlamydosporum and Penicillium westlingii (Deuteromycota). G. marismortui and U. chlamydosporum grew on media containing up to 50% Dead Sea water. G. marismortui was found to be an obligate halophile growing optimally in the presence of 0.5-2 M NaCl or 10 30% (by volume) of Dead Sea water. Isolated cultures did not grow on agar media without salt, but grew on agar prepared with up to 50% Dead Sea water. This suggests that they may be adapted to life in the extremely stressful hypersaline Dead Sea.
Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
A S
AS
Buchalo
E
E
Nevo
S P
SP
Wasser
A
A
Oren
H P
HP
Molitoris
D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007557:Israel; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D014871:Water Microbiology