The family halobacteriaceae

Abstract

The family Halobacteriaceae, first proposed by Gibbons in 1974, is affiliated with the archaeal phylum Euryarchaeota. Currently (August 2012) it encompasses 40 genera: Halobacterium [type genus], Haladaptatus, Halalkalicoccus, Halarchaeum, Halarchaeobius, Haloarcula, Halobaculum, Halobellus, Halobiforma, Halococcus, Haloferax, Halogeometricum, Halogranum, Halolamina, Halomarina, Halomicrobium, Halonotius, Halopelagius, Halopenitus, Halopiger, Haloplanus, Haloquadratum, Halorhabdus, Halorientalis, Halorubrum, Halosarcina, Halosimplex, Halostagnicola, Haloterrigena, Halovenus, Halovivax, Natrialba, Natrinema, Natronoarchaeum, Natronobacterium, Natronococcus, Natronolimnobius, Natronomonas, Natronorubrum, and Salarchaeum, with a total of 137 species. All members of the family have a high requirement for salt, and most grow optimally at salt concentrations above 150-200 g/l. Most species are pigmented red-pink by carotenoid pigments and have an aerobic chemoheterotrophic metabolism. Some have the ability to grow anaerobically by fermentation, anaerobic respiration, or using bacteriorhodopsin to absorb light as an energy source.