title: Haloferax sulfurifontis sp. nov., a halophilic archaeon isolated from a sulfide- and sulfur-rich spring.
abstract: A pleomorphic, extremely halophilic archaeon (strain M6(T)) was isolated from a sulfide- and sulfur-rich spring in south-western Oklahoma (USA). It formed small (0.8-1.0 mm), salmon pink, elevated colonies on agar medium. The strain grew in a wide range of NaCl concentrations (6 % to saturation) and required at least 1 mM Mg(2+) for growth. Strain M6(T) was able to reduce sulfur to sulfide anaerobically. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain M6(T) belongs to the family Halobacteriaceae, genus Haloferax; it showed 96.7-98.0 % similarity to other members of the genus with validly published names and 89 % similarity to Halogeometricum borinquense, its closest relative outside the genus Haloferax. Polar lipid analysis and DNA G+C content further supported placement of strain M6(T) in the genus Haloferax. DNA-DNA hybridization values, as well as biochemical and physiological characterization, allowed strain M6(T) to be differentiated from other members of the genus Haloferax. A novel species, Haloferax sulfurifontis sp. nov., is therefore proposed to accommodate the strain. The type strain is M6(T) (=JCM 12327(T)=CCM 7217(T)=DSM 16227(T)=CIP 108334(T)).
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, and Institute of Energy and the Environment, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.
authors.forename: Mostafa S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Elshahed
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, and Institute of Energy and the Environment, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Life Sciences and the Moshe Shilo Minerva Center for Marine Biogeochemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Aharon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oren
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ventosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, and Institute of Energy and the Environment, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.
authors.forename: Lee R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Krumholz
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001482:Base Composition; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D019621:Haloferax / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D009825:Oklahoma; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010802:Phylogeny; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019642:RNA, Archaeal / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D008055:Lipids; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D019642:RNA, Archaeal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D013440:Sulfides; D015636:Magnesium Chloride; D013455:Sulfur