Biosynthesis and characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoates produced by an extreme halophilic bacterium, Halomonas nitroreducens, isolated from hypersaline ponds

Aims: Morphological, biochemical and genotypic characterization of a halophilic bacterium isolated from hypersaline ponds located at Las Coloradas (Rio Lagartos, Yucatan, Mexico). Characterization of polymer produced by this strain was also performed. Methods and Results: Twenty strains were isolated from water samples of salt ponds and selected based on both morphological features and their PHA storage capacity, which were determined by SEM and staining methods with Nile red and Nile blue, respectively; strains were also analysed by the fluorescence imaging technique. Among them, JCCOL25.8 strain showed the highest production of PHA's reason why phenotypic and genotypic characterization was performed; this strain was identified as Halomonas nitroreducens. Polymer produced by this strain was characterized by FTIR, DSC, GPC and EDX spectroscopy. Results indicated that the biosynthesized polymer was polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) which had a melting peak at 170 degrees C and a crystallinity percentage of about 36%. Conclusions: Based on phenotypic and genotypic aspects, JCCOL25.8 strain was identified as H. nitroreducens and it was capable to accumulate PHB. Significance and Impact of the study: To our knowledge, there is only one study published on the biosynthesis of PHA's by H. nitroreducens strains, although the characterization of the obtained polymer was not reported.