Sánchez-Nieves, Rubén L.

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Diversity of the Cabo Rojo solar salterns utilizing culture-dependent methods and description of two novel species
(2017) Sánchez-Nieves, Rubén L.; Montalvo-Rodríguez, Rafael R.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Papke, Robertson; Rodríguez-Minguela, Carlos; Santos-Flores, Carlos J.; Department of Biology; Torres García, Wandaliz
Archaea compose the third domain of life and are most notable for the ability of some to thrive in extreme environments, such environment is that of high salinity. This project focused on the culturable haloarchaeal diversity of the crystallizer ponds of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Different carbon sources (glycerol vs. pyruvate), water sources (artificial seawater vs crystallizer pond water) , and solidifying agents (agar vs. agarose) combinations were used in media for cultivation. Although no consistent significant difference for colony formation was observed in any combination of variables for the media, members of the genera Haloarcula, Halorubrum, Haloferax, and Halogeometricum were isolated. Phylogenetic analysis utilizing multilocus sequencing analysis was performed to establish relationships with related species. As a result, two novel species of the genera Haloarcula and Halorubrum, respectively, were isolated and subsequently described. The proposed species names are Haloarcula rubripromontorii and Halorubrum tropicale.