sp. nov., a galactomannan-degrading haloarchaeon isolated from commercial salt.

A mannan-degrading halophilic archaeal strain, MD130-1, was isolated from a commercial salt sample. Cells were motile, rod-shaped, and stained Gram-negative. Colonies were pink pigmented.

Salinarchaeum chitinilyticum sp. nov., a chitin-degrading haloarchaeon isolated from commercial salt.

Two chitin-degrading halophilic archaeal strains, MC-74T and MC-23, were isolated from commercial salt samples. Cells were motile, rod-shaped and stained Gram-negative. Colonies were vermillion-pigmented.

Haloparvum alkalitolerans sp. nov., alkali-tolerant haloarchaeon isolated from commercial salt.

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-pleomorphic, aerobic, halophilic archaeon, strain MK62-1T, was isolated from commercial salt made from seawater in the Philippines. Strain MK62-1T was able to grow at 2.1-4.

Halopiger thermotolerans sp. nov., a thermo-tolerant haloarchaeon isolated from commercial salt.

Three thermo-tolerant halophilic archaeal strains, SR-441T, SR-412 and SR-188, were isolated from commercial salt samples. Cells were non-motile pleomorphic rod-shaped, and stained Gram-negative. Colonies were pink-pigmented.

A high-molecular-weight, alkaline, and thermostable β-1,4-xylanase of a subseafloor Microcella alkaliphila.

An endo β-1,4-xylanase (XynE15) from a culture broth of a deep subseafloor microorganism, Microcella alkaliphila JAM-AC0309, was purified to homogeneity. The molecular mass of XynE15 was approximately 150 kDa as judged by SDS-PAGE. The optimal pH and temperature for hydrolysis of xylan were pH 8 and 65 °C.

Halarchaeum grantii sp. nov., a moderately acidophilic haloarchaeon isolated from a commercial salt sample.

Three moderately acidophilic, halophilic archaeal strains, MH1-243-3T, MH1-243-5 and MH1-243-6, were isolated from a commercial salt sample made from seawater in Okinawa, Japan. Cells of the three strains were pleomorphic and stained Gram-negative. Colonies of the strains were orange-red-pigmented.

Encouragement of Enzyme Reaction Utilizing Heat Generation from Ferromagnetic Particles Subjected to an AC Magnetic Field.

We propose a method of activating an enzyme utilizing heat generation from ferromagnetic particles under an ac magnetic field. We immobilize α-amylase on the surface of ferromagnetic particles and analyze its activity. We find that when α-amylase/ferromagnetic particle hybrids, that is, ferromagnetic particles, on which α-amylase molecules are immobilized, are subjected to an ac magnetic field, the particles generate heat and as a result, α-amylase on the particles is heated up and activated.

Halorubrum gandharaense sp. nov., an alkaliphilic haloarchaeon from commercial rock salt.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, pleomorphic rod-shaped, orange-red-pigmented, facultatively aerobic and haloalkaliphilic archaeon, strain MK13-1T, was isolated from commercial rock salt imported from Pakistan. The NaCl, pH and temperature ranges for growth of strain MK13-1T were 3.0-5.

Halocalculus aciditolerans gen. nov., sp. nov., an acid-tolerant haloarchaeon isolated from commercial salt.

Three halophilic archaeal strains, MH2-243-1(T), MH2-93-1 and MH2-91-1 were isolated from commercial salt samples from Japan, Australia, and Bolivia. Strain MH2-243-1(T) was able to grow in the presence of 12-30% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 18% NaCl), at pH 4.5-7.

Halococcus agarilyticus sp. nov., an agar-degrading haloarchaeon isolated from commercial salt.

Two agar-degrading halophilic archaeal strains, 62 E(T) and 197 A, were isolated from commercial salt samples. Cells were non-motile cocci, approximately 1.2-2.

A pectate lyase from a deep subseafloor Georgenia muralis with unusual molecular characteristics.

A novel pectate lyase of a deep subseafloor bacterium, Georgenia muralis strain JAM 3H7-3 (JCM19733), was purified to homogeneity from a culture broth by an anion exchange chromatography, followed by heat treatment of the enzyme solution at 60 °C for 30 min, and a gel filtration in the presence of SDS. The purified enzyme (Pel-S2) had a molecular mass of ~51 kDa by SDS-PAGE and ~75 kDa by gel filtration. In contrast, without heat treatment, the purified enzyme in SDS sample buffer was found to consist of 23- and 23.

Highly thermostable and surfactant-activated chitinase from a subseafloor bacterium, Laceyella putida.

A novel chitinase (LpChiA) was purified to homogeneity from a culture of Laceyella putida JAM FM3001. LpChiA hydrolyzed colloidal chitin optimally at a pH of 4 in an acetate buffer and temperature of 75 ºC. The enzyme was remarkably stable to incubation at 70 ºC up to 1 h at pH 5.

Thermophilic and halophilic β-agarase from a halophilic archaeon Halococcus sp. 197A.

An agar-degrading archaeon Halococcus sp. 197A was isolated from a solar salt sample. The agarase was purified by hydrophobic column chromatography using a column of TOYOPEARL Phenyl-650 M.

Halarchaeum nitratireducens sp. nov., a moderately acidophilic haloarchaeon isolated from commercial sea salt.

Two halophilic moderately acidophilic archaeal strains, MH1-136-2(T) and MH1-370-1 were isolated from commercial salt samples made from seawater in Japan and Indonesia, respectively. Cells of the two strains were pleomorphic and Gram-stain-negative. Strain MH1-136-2(T) was pink pigmented, while MH1-370-1 was orange-red pigmented.

Halomicroarcula pellucida gen. nov., sp. nov., a non-pigmented, transparent-colony-forming, halophilic archaeon isolated from solar salt.

A novel halophilic strain, BNERC31(T), was isolated from solar salt, 'Sel marin de Guérande', imported from France. Colonies on agar medium containing soluble starch, sodium citrate, sodium glutamate and inorganic salts were non-pigmented and transparent, while cells obtained by centrifuging liquid cultures were red-pigmented. Cells of strain BNERC31(T) were non-motile, pleomorphic, stained Gram-negative and lysed in distilled water.

Halarchaeum rubridurum sp. nov., a moderately acidophilic haloarchaeon isolated from commercial sea salt samples.

Six halo-acidophilic archaeal strains were isolated from four commercial salt samples obtained from seawater in the Philippines, Indonesia (Bali) and Japan (Okinawa) on agar plates at pH 4.5. Cells of the six strains were pleomorphic, and stained Gram-negative.

Natronoarchaeum philippinense sp. nov., a haloarchaeon isolated from commercial solar salt.

A Gram-staining-negative, pleomorphic, aerobic, halophilic archaeon, designated strain 294-194-5(T), was isolated in Japan from commercial solar salt imported from the Philippines. Colonies of strain 294-194-5(T) were translucent and red. Strain 294-194-5(T) was able to grow at 20-50 °C (optimum, 37-45 °C), with 14-30 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 18 %), and at pH 6.

Halobaculum magnesiiphilum sp. nov., a magnesium-dependent haloarchaeon isolated from commercial salt.

Two extremely halophilic archaea, strains MGY-184(T) and MGY-205, were isolated from sea salt produced in Japan and rock salt imported from Bolivia, respectively. Both strains were pleomorphic, non-motile, Gram-negative and required more than 5 % (w/v) NaCl for growth, with optimum at 9-12 %, in the presence of 2 % (w/v) MgCl2 . 6H2O.

Halobacterium piscisalsi Yachai et al. 2008 is a later heterotypic synonym of Halobacterium salinarum Elazari-Volcani 1957.

Halobacterium piscisalsi was proposed by Yachai et al. (2008), with a single strain, HPC1-2(T) (= BCC 24372(T) = JCM 14661(T) = PCU 302(T)), which was isolated from fermented fish (pla-ra) in Thailand. According to Yachai et al.

Full-length transcriptome analysis of human retina-derived cell lines ARPE-19 and Y79 using the vector-capping method.

PURPOSE. To collect an entire set of full-length cDNA clones derived from human retina-derived cell lines and to identify full-length transcripts for retinal preferentially expressed genes. METHODS.

Natribacillus halophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a moderately halophilic and alkalitolerant bacterium isolated from soil.

A moderately halophilic and alkalitolerant bacterium, designated strain HN30(T), was isolated from garden soil in Japan. Cells of strain HN30(T) were motile, endospore-forming, aerobic, rod-shaped and gram-positive, and contained A1γ meso-diaminopimelic acid-type murein. Growth occurred in 7-23 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 10-15 %, w/v), at pH 6.

Gene orders in the upstream of 16S rRNA genes divide genera of the family Halobacteriaceae into two groups.

In many prokaryotic species, 16S rRNA genes are present in multiple copies, and their sequences in general do not differ significantly owing to concerted evolution. At the time of writing, the genus Haloarcula of the family Halobacteriaceae comprises nine species with validly published names, all of which possess two to four highly heterogeneous 16S rRNA genes. Existence of multiple heterogeneous 16S rRNA genes makes it difficult to reconstruct a biological phylogenetic tree using their sequence data.