Red Extreme

Halophiles
Defining
Red extreme halophiles are organisms that require an
environment of 17-23% Nacl for good growth

They cannot grow with less then 15% Nacl even sea
water which contain approximately 3% Nacl is not salty
enough

They live in environment which is unsuitable for most

other organisms such as

1.Salt Lakes(dead sea, great sea lakes)

2.Industrial plants
3.Food preserved with salt
 Examples

1. Certain aerobic Bacteria

2. Gram negative bacteria
3. Halo bacterium
4. Salinibacter ruber
5. H.halobium
6. H.cutirubrum
 CHARACTERISTICS
Red Extreme Halophiles are interesting to know because they require

High salt concentration

Trace elements

NH4+ as an electron donor

Blood serum in their medium

A living host in order to grow

TAXONOMY

Their
economic
importance
Red
was rather
Extreme
heavily 1922,
Halophiles
studied until 1919, Harrison
was first 1932, Petter
1915 by Klebahn and
described in
Kellerman Kennedy
1879 by
and was
Poulsen
followed by
taxonomic
description
TAXONOMY (Cont.)
Harrison and Kennedy ignorance on Klebahn’s work.

Petter contributed in the Klebahn’s work.

According to Larsen, 1984, this lake of knowledge is probably the root of

taxonomic confusion related to these organisms
Larsen had profound interest in taxonomy of Red Extreme Halophile.

He was an active member of “International Committee on the Systematics of

Bacteria Sub-Committee.
He described that Species are isolated from Dead Sea. They require less NaCl and
show high tolerance to Magnesium.
 Study of Microbiologist on REH
After introduction of small subunit
rRNA sequence comparison as a
Halophilic Micro-Organisms have
source of information on
stimulated microbiologist for
phylogeny of microorganism. It They do not form coherent groups.
discussion on their evolutionary
was realized that Red Extreme
origin.
Halophiles are not actually
bacteria.

No correlation can be found

They are found in all three
between place of organism within
domains of life.
tree of life or its ability to grow.
Colonies and Color

Colonies are red to orange because of presence of Carotenoids

(C50 Caroteniod) which seem to protect the cell against
damaging effect of sunlight

Some contain unique purple pigment called bacteriorhdopsin

located in cytoplasmic membrane.

It is photoactive and convert light energy into chemical energy

Microelement and Trace Element

In addition to requirement of common macro element and

trace element some microbial group have some specific
mineral requirement
Requirement of large amount of sodium by bacteria growing
in slime lakes and oceans. Sodium help to transport sugar in
cell
Red Extreme Halophiles require high level of NaCl for
maintenance of integrity of their cell wall, stability and activity
of some enzymes.
Zinc, Copper and Manganese are also needed but usually in
small amount.
 Environmental Conditions

In a study of 47 strains of Red Extreme Halophiles ,Gibbons 1958 ,noted that increasing salt
concentration caused some bacteria to lose color or become redder.

Defined Medium:- Complex Medium:-

in a defined medium the presence In a complex medium growth in
of 0.1% Glycerol stimulated growth presence of 0.1% Glycerol did not
but caused the cell to loose their change the carotenoid content of cell
carotenoids but growth did.
Salinibacter ruber

It can survive in harsh conditions.

They live in shallow evaporation pond encounting high temperature and
ultraviolet light
They belong to Bacterioidetes branch of bacteria coexist with archaea of
family halobacterioaceae.
Certain carotenoid pigments are derived such as C40 substituted
Carotenoids, Retinal Pigments (Bacteriorhedopsin, Halorhedopsin,
sensoryrhedopsin)
 Q
A
THANKS