Abstract
A dense bloom of red halobacteria developed in the Dead Sea in the summer 1980, bacterial densities of up to 1.9 x107 cells ml-1 were observed. The population consisted of two types: pleomorphic, cup-shaped cells and rod-shaped cells. A high content of bacteriorhodopsin was found in the bloom (up to 0.4 nmol per mg protein). The rod-shaped Halobacterium was isolated and was shown to contain bacteriorhodopsin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Abbreviations
- ϱ20:
-
specific gravity at 20°C
- Tris:
-
Tris-(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane
References
Beyth M (1980) Recent evolution and present stage of Dead Sea brines. In: Nissenbaum A (ed) Hypersaline brines and evaporitic environments. Amsterdam, Elsevier, pp 155–165
Brock TD, Petersen S (1976) Some effects of light on the viability of rhodopsin-containing halobacteria. Arch Microbiol 109:199–200
Danon A, Caplan SR (1979) CO2 fixation by Halobacterium halobium. FEBS Lett 74:255–258
Danon A, Stoeckenius W (1975) Photophosphorylation in Halobacterium halobium. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 71: 1234–1238
Evans RW, Kushwaha SC, Kates M (1980) The lipids of Halobacterium marismortui, an extremely halophilic bacterium in the Dead Sea. Biochim Biophys Acta 619:533–544
Ginzburg M (1978) Ion metabolism in whole cells of Halobacterium halobium and H. marismortui. In: Caplan SR, Ginzburg M (eds) Energetics and structure of halophilic microorganisms. Elsevier Amsterdam, pp 561–577
Ginzburg M, Sachs L, Ginzburg BZ (1970) Ion metabolism in a Halobacterium I. Influence of age of cultures on intracellular concentrations. J Gen Physiol 55:187–207
Hartmann R, Oesterhelt D (1977) Bacteriorhodopsin-mediated photophosphorylation in Halobacterium halobium. Eur J Biochem 77:325–335
Hartmann R, Sickinger HD, Oesterhelt D (1980) Anaerobic growth of halobacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:3821–3825
Kaplan IR, Friedman A (1970) Biological productivity in the Dead Sea. Part I: Microorganisms in the water column. Israel J Chem 8:513–528
Kritzman G, Keller P, Henis Y (1973) Ecological studies on the heterotrophic extreme halophilic bacteria of the Dead Sea. In: Abstracts of the first international congress for bacteriology, vol. II, p 242. Jerusalem
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Mullakhanbhai MF, Larsen H (1975) Halobacterium volcanii spec. nov., a Dead Sea halobacterium with a moderate salt requirement. Arch Microbiol 104:207–214
Oesterhelt D, Meentzen M, Schuhmann L (1973) Reversible dissociation of the purple complex in bacteriorhodopsin and identification of 13-cis and all-trans-retinal as its chromophores. Eur J Biochem 40:453–463
Oesterhelt D, Schuhmann L, Gruber H (1974) Light-dependent reaction of bacteriorhodopsin with hydroxylamine in cell suspensions of Halobacterium halobium: demonstration of an apo-membrane. FEBS Lett 44:257–261
Oesterhelt D, Schuhmann L (1974) Reconstitution of bacteriorhodopsin. FEBS Lett 44:262–265
Oesterhelt D, Stoeckenius W (1971) Rhodopsin-like protein from the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium. Nature 233:149–152
Oesterhelt D, Stoeckenius W (1973) Functions of a new photoreceptor membrane. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 70:2853–2857
Steinhorn I, Assaf G, Gat JR, Nishry A, Nissenbaum A, Stiller M, Beyth M, Neev D, Garber R, Friedman GM, Weiss W (1979) The Dead Sea: deepening of the mixolimnion signifies the overture to overturn of the water column. Science 206:55–57
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oren, A., Shilo, M. Bacteriorhodopsin in a bloom of halobacteria in the Dead Sea. Arch. Microbiol. 130, 185–187 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411075
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411075