Halogeometricum borinquense DSM 11551

Halogeometricum borinquense (strain ATCC 700274 / DSM 11551 / JCM 10706 / PR3) is an aerobic, extremely halophilic archaeon isolated from the solar salterns of Cabo Rojo, Puerto-Rico. The cells are highly pleomorphic (short and long rods, squares, triangles and ovals) and motile by peritrichous flagella. Gas vesicles are present and are responsible for modifying the color of colonies or cell suspensions from red to pink. H. borinquense requires extremely high salt (NaCl) concentrations for growth. It can not only grow aerobically but also anaerobically using nitrate as electron acceptor. At least 8% NaCl (w/v) is required for growth, reflecting the primary characteristic requirement for high salt concentrations of the Halobacteriaceae. The optimal NaCl concentration range is 20-25NaCl (w/v) at 40 degrees Celsius. The temperature range for growth is between 22 and 50 degrees Celsius, with an optimum at 40 degrees Celsius. Nitrate is reduced to nitrite with the production of gas. (Adapted from PMID 21304651). (HAMAP: HALBP)