ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DESULFOVIBRIO-HALOPHILUS SP-NOV, A HALOPHILIC SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIUM ISOLATED FROM SOLAR LAKE (SINAI)

From samples collected in the anoxic part of the photosynthetic microbial mat of Solar Lake, sulfate-reducing bacteria were enriched with lactate and sulfate in basal medium supplemented with 10% NaCl and 1% MgCl2.6H2O. A few strains were isolated and maintained in pure culture. Strain SL 8903 which showed the highest NaCl tolerance (up to 18%) consisted of motile non-sporulating vibrioid cells and resembled the genus Desulfovibrio. However, on the basis of physiological differences to all described species of this genus, strain SL 8903 was described as a new species and named Desulfovibrio halophilus, sp. nov.