title: Prokaryotic diversity in a Tunisian hypersaline lake, Chott El Jerid.
abstract: Prokaryotic diversity was investigated in a Tunisian salt lake, Chott El Jerid, by quantitative real-time PCR, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprinting methods targeting the 16S rRNA gene and culture-dependent methods. Two different samples S1-10 and S2-10 were taken from under the salt crust of Chott El Jerid in the dry season. DGGE analysis revealed that bacterial sequences were related to Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, unclassified bacteria, and Deinococcus-Thermus phyla. Anaerobic fermentative and sulfate-reducing bacteria were also detected in this ecosystem. Within the domain archaea, all sequences were affiliated to Euryarchaeota phylum. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that 16S rRNA gene copy numbers of bacteria was 5 × 10(6) DNA copies g(-1) whereas archaea varied between 5 × 10(5) and 10(6) DNA copies g(-1) in these samples. Eight anaerobic halophilic fermentative bacterial strains were isolated and affiliated with the species Halanaerobium alcaliphilum, Halanaerobium saccharolyticum, and Sporohalobacter salinus. These data showed an abundant and diverse microbial community detected in the hypersaline thalassohaline environment of Chott El Jerid.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Route Sidi Mansour, km 6, BP 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.|IRD, University of Aix-Marseille, University of Toulon, CNRS, MIO, UM 110, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Manel Ben
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Abdallah
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Route Sidi Mansour, km 6, BP 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia. fatma.karray@cbs.rnrt.tn.|Laboratoire Mixte International « Contaminants et Ecosystèmes Marins Sud Méditerranéens » (LMI COSYS-Med), Sfax, Tunisia. fatma.karray@cbs.rnrt.tn.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7390-2270
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karray
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Route Sidi Mansour, km 6, BP 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.|Laboratoire Mixte International « Contaminants et Ecosystèmes Marins Sud Méditerranéens » (LMI COSYS-Med), Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Najla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mhiri
authors.affiliation: IRD, University of Aix-Marseille, University of Toulon, CNRS, MIO, UM 110, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: IRD, University of Aix-Marseille, University of Toulon, CNRS, MIO, UM 110, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quéméneur
authors.affiliation: IRD, University of Aix-Marseille, University of Toulon, CNRS, MIO, UM 110, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cayol
authors.affiliation: IRD, University of Aix-Marseille, University of Toulon, CNRS, MIO, UM 110, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.|Laboratoire Mixte International « Contaminants et Ecosystèmes Marins Sud Méditerranéens » (LMI COSYS-Med), Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Gaël
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erauso
authors.affiliation: IRD, University of Aix-Marseille, University of Toulon, CNRS, MIO, UM 110, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tholozan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Route Sidi Mansour, km 6, BP 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.|IRD, University of Aix-Marseille, University of Toulon, CNRS, MIO, UM 110, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alazard
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Route Sidi Mansour, km 6, BP 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.|Laboratoire Mixte International « Contaminants et Ecosystèmes Marins Sud Méditerranéens » (LMI COSYS-Med), Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayadi
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea / Q000302:isolation & purification; D034301:Deinococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000068536:Bacillota / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D064307:Microbiota; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D054712:Salinity; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D013824:Thermus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: 16S rRNA; Anaerobic fermentative bacteria; Archaea; Bacteria; Hypersaline lake; Microbial diversity; PCR-DGGE; Quantitative PCR