Metagenomic DNA libraries constructed from the Dagong Ancient Brine Well were screened for genes with Na(+)/H(+) antiporter activity on the antiporter-deficient Escherichia coli KNabc strain. One clone with a stable Na(+)-resistant phenotype was obtained and its Na(+)/H(+) antiporter gene was sequenced and designated as m-nha. The deduced amino acid sequence of M-Nha protein consists of 523 res...

Halophilic microorganisms are source of potential hydrolytic enzymes to be used in industrial and/or biotechnological processes. In the present study, we have investigated the ability of the moderately halophilic bacterium Halobacillus blutaparonensis (strain M9), a novel species described by our group, to release proteolytic enzymes. This bacterial strain abundantly proliferated in Luria-Berta...

A quantitative analysis of the Cl- dependence of growth of Halobacillus halophilus was performed. Optimal growth rates were obtained at Cl- concentrations of between 0.5 and 2.0 M, and the final yield was also strictly dependent on the Cl- concentration. Br- but not I-, SO42-, NO2-, SO2-, OCN-, SCN-, BO2-, or BrO3- could substitute for Cl-. To analyze the function of chloride, chloride concentr...

Halobacillus halophilus, a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from salt marshes, produces various compatible solutes to cope with osmotic stress. Glutamate and glutamine are dominant compatible solutes at mild salinities. Glutamine synthetase activity in cell suspensions of Halobacillus halophilus wild type was shown to be salt dependent and chloride modulated. A possible candidate to cat...

Bacterial and archaeal aerobic communities were recovered from sediments from the shallow El-Djerid salt lake in Tunisia, and their salinity gradient distribution was established. Six samples for physicochemical and microbiological analyses were obtained from 6 saline sites in the lake for physico-chemical and microbiological analyses. All samples studied were considered hypersaline with NaCl c...

Historic buildings are constantly being exposed to numerous climatic changes such as damp and rainwater. Water migration into and out of the material's pores can lead to salt precipitation and the so-called efflorescence. The structure of the material may be seriously threatened by salt crystallization. A huge pressure is produced when salt hydrates occupy larger spaces, which leads at the end ...

In this study, it was aimed to determine of heavy metal resistance of bacterial isolates from coastal city sediment (Izmir Bay). Thirty isolates (Bacillus, Marinibacillus, Halobacillus) were identified by phylogenetic analysis and these strains were investigated in respect of the MICs of heavy metals (Hg, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb). The MICs of heavy metals were different for each strain but the ge...