Haloferax larsenii sp nov, an extremely halophilic archaeon from a solar saltern

Three strains of Gram-negative, aerobic, neutrophilic, extremely halophilic archaea, designated ZJ206(T), ZJ203 and ZJ204, were isolated from a solar saltern in Zhe-Jiang Province, China. Phenotypically and on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the strains were very similar. Comparative 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed 96.4-97.4% sequence similarity to members of the genus Haloferax. The major polar lipids were C20C20 derivatives of phosphaticlylglycerol, phosphaticlylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, diglycosyl glycerol diether and sulfated diglycosyl diether. The DNA G + C content of strain ZJ206(T) was 62.2 mol%. The results of DNA-DNA hybridizations and physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of the isolates from closely related species. Therefore the isolates should be classified as members of a novel species, for which the name Haloferax larsenii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZJ206(T) (= CGMCC 1.5347(T) = JCM 13917(T)).