Effects of Salts on the Activity and Growth of Candidatus Scalindua sp., a Marine Anammox Bacterium

Four salts, SEALIFE (a synthetic sea salt), NaCl, Na2SO4 , and NaCl+KCl, were applied to monitor the effects of salinity on Candidatus Scalindua sp., a marine anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacterium. The highest ammonium consumption of 10 mu mol mg protein(-1) d(-1) was observed at 88 mmol L-1 of Na in the presence of NaCl. The highest inorganic carbon uptake of 0.6 mu mol mg protein(-1) d(-1) was observed at 117 mmol L-1 of Na and at 16 mmol L-1 of K in the presence of NaCl+KCl. Thus, Na and K are both important for maintaining a high growth rate of Candidatus Scalindua sp.