The Halophilic Archaea from rock salt-from Deep
Past to Deep Future
The
extremely halophilic archea from solar saltern naturally entrapped in salt inspired the laboratory experiments of embedment
of the haloarcheal strains in salt crystals and then their resuspension of in liquids in order to analyse their survival after
such manipulations.
The
discovery of extremely halophytic archaea in salt crystals from Permo Triassic periods (Denner et all. 1994, Stan-Lotter et
all 1999, 2002 ), and the discovery of halite in the Martian origin meteorite guided us to the problem of long term survival
of this micro-organisms in extremely difficult environmental conditions. The simulation in laboratory of embeddment in salt
crystals was necessary to demonstrate the survival of archaea after the re-suspension in liquid TN buffer (Fendrihan et all
2003). Sufficient survival rate were obtained (Rittman et all, 2003). Studies show the protective effect of the salt for DNA
(Marguet et Forterre 1998) and for bio-molecules in general (Tehei et all., 2002).The survival of halobacteria in salt crystals
was investigated (Norton et all., 1988) and demonstrated (Fendrihan et all. 2003, 2004).The problem of long term survival
of the organisms, of spread of life in outer space and colonisation of different planets is a real challenge for biologists
and astrobiologists.
1.Denner EBM, McGenity TJ, Busse H-J, Wanner G, Grant WD, Stan-Lotter H (1994) Int J System Bacteriol
44, 774-780
2.Fendrihan S., Leuko S; Stan-Lotter, H., 2003, Embedding of Halobacteria in salt crystals
poster at the Congress of exobiology, Madrid, Spain, 17-20 November 2003 (in press)
3.Fendrihan S., Ritmann S., Stan-Lotter: H., 2004, Extremely Halophilic Archea and stress effect following embedding
in salt crystals -presented as poster at the Geomicrobiology Congress Aarhus Denmark, 27-30 January 2004
6.Marguet, E., Forterre P., 1998, Protection of DNA by salt against thermodegradation at temperatures
typical for hypertermophiles Extemophiles,198,2:115-122.
7.Norton, Cyntia F., Grant. D.W., 1988, Survival of Halobacteria
within Fluid Inclusions in Salt Crystals, Journal of
General Microbiology, 134, 1365-1373.
8.Rittman S., Legat A, Fendrihan S., Stan-Lotter H, 2003, Viability and morphology of Halobacterium
species following dessication for contamination on Mars presented as poster at the Congress of exobiology Madrid Spain, 17-20
November 2003 (in press)
9. Stan-Lotter H, McGenity TJ, Legat A, Denner EBM, Glaser K, Stetter KO, Wanner G (1999)
Microbiology 145, 3565-3574
10. Stan-Lotter H, Pfaffenhuemer M, Legat A, Busse H-J, Radax C, Gruber C (2002) Int J System Evol
Microbiol 52, 1807-1814
11. Tehei M., Franzetti
B., Maurel Marie- Christine, Vergne J., Hountondji C., Zaccai G., 2002, The search for traces of life:the protective
efect of salt on biological macromolecules
