Halomonas
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Halomonas
Classification
Higher order taxa:
Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Gammaproteobacteria; Oceanospirillales; Halomonadaceae
Species:
H. alimentaria; H. alkantarctica; H. almeriensis; H. anticariensis; H. aquamarina; H. axialensis; H. boliviensis; H. campaniensis; H. campisalis; H. cupida; H. desiderata; H. elongata; H. eurihalina; H. glaciei; H. halmophila; H. halocynthiae; H. halodenitrificans; H. halodurans; H. halophila; H. hydrothermalis; H. koreensis; H. magadiensis; H. marisflavi; H. maura; H. meridiana; H. muralis; H. neptunia; H. nitritophilus; H. organivorans; H. pacifica; H. pantelleriensis; H. salina; H. subglaciescola; H. sulfidaeris; H. taeanensis; H. variabilis; H. ventosae; H. venusta; Halovibrio denitrificans; Halomonas sp.
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Description and Significance
Halomonas bacteria strains are halophiles, requiring high NaCl for growth. They are highly versatile in terms of their ability to successfully grow in a variety of temperature and pH conditions. This versatility may eventually lead to Halomonas species being used as a substitute for the utilization of starch-derived raw materials (Quillaguamán).
Cell Structure and Metabolism
Halomonas are Gram-negative rod-shaped cells that are usually unpigmented or yellow-tinted in color. Some of the fatty acids in Halomonas species include C(18:1)omega7c, C(16:0), and C(19:0) cyclo omega8c. They are also traditionally extreme halophiles with full motile capabilities because they are either polarly or laterally flagellated (Lee).
Without the presence of nitrate, they are capable of anaerobic growth with the aid of glucose. In addition, some Halomonas species have been documented as being able to perform denitrification to gain energy through the processing of nitrate to nitrogen (Cann).
Ecology
Because Halomonas species are typically halophiles, they are usually found in water sources with high salinity levels, such as the Dead Sea and even within the frigid waters of Antarctica. However, some halophile strains (such as one with characteristics similar to that of Halomonas campisalis) have been documented to grow productively without the presence of NaCl (Ramano). Halomonascan also inhabit deep-sea sediment, deep-sea waters affected by hydrothermal plumes, and hydrothermal vent fluids (Okamoto).
