Utilization and accumulation of compatible solutes in : a species of moderately halophilic bacteria isolated from a saline lake in South Libya.

When grown in high salt concentrations, halophilic bacteria often accumulate compatible solutes, which have major applications in biotechnology because they stabilize cells and proteins. Four Gram-negative bacterial strains, belonging to the family were isolated from Qaberoun and Um-Alma lakes in South Libya using high-salinity medium. The strains were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing as belonging to (strain ABQ1) (ABQ2), (ABU1) and (ABU2). ABQ1 is a moderate halophile (salinity range 0.05 to 2.5 M NaCl), with a broad tolerance to pH (7 to 9) and temperature (25-37 °C). Addition of the compatible solutes glycine betaine (betaine) and ectoine (1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidine carboxylic acid) to the medium had a positive effect on growth of at 2 M NaCl. In rich LB medium, betaine was the major compatible solute accumulated, with ectoine only being accumulated at salinities in excess of 1 M NaCl. In minimal M9 medium, betaine was not produced, but increasing amounts of ectoine were synthesized with increasing salinity, and hydroxyectoine [(4S,5S)-5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid] was also synthesized when the cells were grown in very high salt. We have thus identified as a producer of ectoine and hydroxyectoine, with more being produced at higher salinities. As industrial demand for these compatible solutes continues to increase, this system has biotechnological potential.