title: Extremely halophilic archaea and the issue of long-term microbial survival.
abstract: Halophilic archaebacteria (haloarchaea) thrive in environments with salt concentrations approaching saturation, such as natural brines, the Dead Sea, alkaline salt lakes and marine solar salterns; they have also been isolated from rock salt of great geological age (195-250 million years). An overview of their taxonomy, including novel isolates from rock salt, is presented here; in addition, some of their unique characteristics and physiological adaptations to environments of low water activity are reviewed. The issue of extreme long-term microbial survival is considered and its implications for the search for extraterrestrial life. The development of detection methods for subterranean haloarchaea, which might also be applicable to samples from future missions to space, is presented.
authors: Department of Microbiology, University of Salzburg, Billrothstr. 11, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria.
authors: Sergiu
authors: S
authors: Fendrihan
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Legat
authors: Marion
authors: M
authors: Pfaffenhuemer
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Gruber
authors: Gerhard
authors: G
authors: Weidler
authors: Friedrich
authors: F
authors: Gerbl
authors: Helga
authors: H
authors: Stan-Lotter