RELATION OF TEMPERATURE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION TO GROWTH AND MORPHOLOGY OF SOME HALOPHILIC BACTERIA

Abstract

The red halophiles, Halobacterium salinarium, H. cutirubrum, H. halobium, and Sarcina litoralis, grew most rapidly at salt concentrations of 20–25% and temperatures of 40–45 °C. Maximum turbidity was obtained at similar salt concentrations but at 35–40 °C. An unidentified colorless rod grew most rapidly at salt concentrations of 17.5–20% and temperatures of 40–50 °C, but produced maximum yield at 30 °C. The rod forms changed from long slender rods through irregular shapes to spheres as the salt concentration was decreased. At temperatures above the optimum, cells were very irregular, but otherwise temperature at any one salt concentration had little or no effect on the morphology.