Halobacterium salinarum
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Halobacterium salinarum
Classification
Archaea; Euryarchaeota; Halobacteria; Halobacteriales; Halobacteriaceae; Halobacterium; H. salinarium (4)
Description and significance
Halobacterium salinarum is not a bacterium, but is a model organism from the halophilic branch of Archaea (2). It was discovered 80 years ago when isolated from salted fish, long before the proposal for a third domain was put forward in 1978. It is classified as an extremophile due to its ability to survive in environments with very high salt concentrations. It is found in high salt food such as salt pork, marine fish, and sausages. It is also present in hides, hyper-saline lakes, and salterns. Due to their high salinity, these salterns become purple or reddish color with the presence of halophilic Archaea. As a species that colonizes salines, Halobacterium is known for its distinct color and presence in mass cultures seen at Great Salt Lake, Yellowstone National Park, and other places with saline levels around 4M+ (3).
Genome structure
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Cell structure, metabolism & life cycle
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Ecology (including pathogenesis)
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Interesting feature
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