Salarchaeum japonicum gen. nov., sp. nov., an aerobic, extremely halophilic member of the Archaea isolated from commercial salt.
Strain YSM-79(T) was isolated from commercial salt made from seawater in Yonaguni island, Okinawa, Japan. The strain is an aerobic, Gram-negative, chemo-organotrophic and extremely halophilic archaeon. Cells are short rods that lyse in distilled water. Growth occurs at 1.5-5.3 M NaCl (optimum 2.5-3.0 M), pH 5.0-8.8 (optimum pH 5.2-6.3) and 20-55 °C (optimum 40 °C). Mg²⁺ is required for growth, with maximum growth at 200-300 mM Mg²⁺. Polar lipid analysis revealed the presence of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerophosphate methyl ester, sulfated diglycosyl diether-1 and five unidentified glycolipids. The G+C content of the DNA was 64 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain YSM-79(T) was determined to be a member of the family Halobacteriaceae, with the closest related genus being Halobacterium (94 % sequence identity). In addition, the rpoB' gene sequence of strain YSM-79(T) had <88 % sequence similarity to those of other members of the family Halobacteriaceae. The results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analysis suggested that strain YSM-79(T) should be placed in a new genus, Salarchaeum gen. nov., as a representative of Salarchaeum japonicum sp. nov. The type strain is YSM-79(T) ( = JCM 16327(T)  = CECT 7563(T)).
Bio-Nano Electronics Research Center, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.|Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.|Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
Yasuhiro
Y
Shimane
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
Yuji
Y
Hatada
Bio-Nano Electronics Research Center, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.|Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.
Hiroaki
H
Minegishi
Bio-Nano Electronics Research Center, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.|Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.
Akinobu
A
Echigo
Bio-Nano Electronics Research Center, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.|Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.
Syuhei
S
Nagaoka
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
Masayuki
M
Miyazaki
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
Yukari
Y
Ohta
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
Tadashi
T
Maruyama
Bio-Nano Electronics Research Center, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.|Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.
Ron
R
Usami
Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Maurice Shock Medical Sciences Building, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK.
William D
WD
Grant
Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan.|Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
Koki
K
Horikoshi
D000332:Aerobiosis; D001482:Base Composition; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D005516:Food Microbiology; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006216:Halobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007564:Japan; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D010802:Phylogeny; D019642:RNA, Archaeal / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012492:Salts; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D010743:Phospholipids; D019642:RNA, Archaeal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012492:Salts; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; C105078:RNA polymerase beta subunit; D008274:Magnesium