Hopanoid inventory of Rhodoplanes spp.

Hopanoids are pentacyclic triterpenoid lipids and are important for bacterial membrane stability and functioning. These pentacyclic triterpenoids of hopane series are biomarkers for eubacteria and can be used as chemotaxonomic markers. Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria are good producers of hopanoids, and their inventory to date is restricted to a few members.

Salinicoccus halitifaciens sp. nov., a novel bacterium participating in halite formation.

Strain JC90(T) was isolated from a soda lake in Lonar, India. Strain JC90(T) maintains its external pH to 8.5 and participates in halite formation.