Halococcus dombrowskii sp nov., an archaeal isolate from a Permian alpine salt deposit

Several extremely halophilic coccoid archaeal strains were isolated from pieces of dry rock salt that were obtained three days after blasting operations in an Austrian salt mine. The deposition of the salt is thought to have occurred during the Permian period (225-280 million years ago). On the basis of their polar-lipid composition, 165 rRNA gene sequences, cell shape and growth characteristics, the isolates were assigned to the genus Halococcus. The DNA-DNA reassociation values of one isolate, strain H4(T), were 35 and 38% with Halococcus salifodinae and Halococcus saccharolyticus, respectively, and 65.8-67.8% with Halococcus morrhuae. The polar lipids of strain H4(T) were C-20-C-25 derivatives of phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol phosphate. Whole-cell protein patterns, menaquinone content, enzyme composition, arrangements of cells, usage of carbon and energy sources, and antibiotic susceptibility were sufficiently different between strain H4(T) and H. morrhuae to warrant designation of strain H4(T) as a new species within the genus Halococcus. It is proposed that the isolate be named Halococcus dombrowskii, and the type strain is H4(T) (=DSM 14522(T) = NCIMB 13803(T) = ATCC BAA-364(T)).