Diversity+of+Life-Archaebacteria

= Diversity of Life =

Halococcus salifodinae



 * __Contents__
 * 1) Taxonomy
 * 2) Introduction
 * 3) Morphological Features
 * 4) Anatomical/Physiological Features
 * 5) Range of Habitat
 * 6) References ||


 * Taxonomy **

Members of the Euryarchaeota are divided upon three main groups: methanogens, halophiles, and thermoacidphiles. The species //Halococcus salifodinae//, as its name suggests, is catergorized as a halophile. Halophiles are known for their abilities to survive in extremely saline solutions. The genus //Halococcus// consists of extremely halophilic archaea, some requiring as high as 32% of sodium chloride for optimal growth.
 * Kingdom || Archaea ||
 * Phylum || Euryarchaeota ||
 * Class || Halobacteria ||
 * Order || Halobacteriales ||
 * Family || Halobacteriaceae ||
 * Genus || Halococcus ||
 * Species || salifodinae ||


 * Introduction **

Halococcus salifodinae is a species under the kingdom of Archaea, which consists of unicellular organisms without a developed nucleus, also known as prokaryotes. Archaebacteria are known for their ability for survival in extreme conditions. There are many types of archaea, such as methanogens, thermophiles, and halophiles. The species of Halococcus salifodinae are catergorized as halophiles, due to their love of extremely saline environments. The rhodopsinprotein found in the cell membrane of Halococcus salifodinae gives the organism its red hue.


 * Morphological Features **

Halococcus salifodinae, as its name suggests, takes the form of staphylococcus (spherical-shaped clumps), as we can see in the featured picture above, generally 0.6-1.5 microns long with sulfated polysaccharide walls. It also has a reddish tint to it, caused by the rhodopsinprotein found in their cell membrane. This explains why several shorelines have red-purplish coloured water; it contains several micro halobacterial organisms in the water.


 * Anatomical/Physiological Features **

As we mentioned above, the membranes of Halococcus salifodinae contain red-purplish rhodopsinproteins, which give them their colour. Rhodopsinprotein pigments can absorb light and convert it to energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Also, Halococcus salifodinae contain halorhodopsins, which are driven by photons and pump in chloride ions, and essentially assists the production of energy from light that it absorbs.

The most unique ability of halophiles, the ability to live in saline environments, are based on their anatomical organelles. Halophilies can survive in solutions from 25% sodium chloride to 32% sodium chloride (saturation). This is due to their knack of preventing dehydration in their cytoplasm.Halococcus salifodinae consists in its cytoplasm large amounts of potassium (K+, as KCl) from its environment. Dissolved KCl in cells are present at a concentration equal to or slightly above that of the dissolved NaCl outside, and in this way cells maintain the tendency for water to enter and thereby prevent dehydration, and neutralizing the direction of water flowage through osmosis. In addition, special chlorine pumps embedded within the membrane (see image below) helps maintain the osmosis balance with their extremely saline environments.


 * Range of Habitat **

Halococcus salifodinae must live in aerobic environments and solutions with a certain concentration of salt in order to survive. This is why Halococcus salifodinae is usually found in inland bodies of salt water, such as the Dead Sea or the Great Salt lake, or in highly salted soil and foods.


 * Interesting Facts **


 * Halococcus salifodinae can survive in saturated saline solutions (32% salt), when in contrast human blood contains only 0.9 % sodium chloride.


 * References **


 * 1) "The Earth Life Web, The Euryarchaeota." The Earth Life Web. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. .
 * 2) "Great Salt Lake Bacteria." Web. 15 Nov. 2010. .
 * 3) "Halococcus." MicrobeWiki. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. .
 * 4) "Halophile." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. .
 * 5) "Extremophilic Bacteria and Microbial Diversity." SERC. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. .