We carried out a polyphasic taxonomic study on a new halophilic strain designated 3(2)T, isolated from Meighan wetland, Iran. Cells of the novel strain were Gram-stain-negative, non-hemolytic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, rod-shaped, non-endospore-forming and motile. Cell growth occurred at 3–15 % NaCl (w/v; optimum, 5 %), pH 7.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5–8.0) and 15–35 °C (optimum, 30 °C). 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons confirmed the affiliation of strain 3(2)T to the class Gammaproteobacteria and the genus Halomonas with highest similarity to Halomonas daqiaonensis YCSA28T (98.4 %) and Halomonas ventosae Al12T (97.9 %). Experimental and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values were 42.7 and 35.1% with H. daqiaonensis IBRC-M 10931T and 48 and 35.2% with H. ventosae IBRC-M 10566T, respectively, and indicated that they are different members of the same genus. The genome of the type strain was characterized by a size of 3.83 Mbp with 63 scaffolds and a G+C content of 64.8 mol%. Moreover, the average nucleotide identity values against H. ventosae Al12T and H. daqiaonensis YCSA28T were 88.8 and 88.5 %, respectively. The predominant respiratory quinone was Q-9 (92 %) with Q-8 (8 %) as a minor component. Major fatty acids were C16 : 0 cyclo, C19 : 0 ω8c, C16 : 1 ω7c and/or iso-C15:0 2-OH, C12 : 0 3-OH and C18 : 1 ω7c. The polar lipid profile of the strain contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphoaminoglycolipid and four unidentified phospholipids. According to our results, strain 3(2)T could be classified as a novel species in the genus Halomonas for which the name Halomonas lysinitropha sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3(2)T (=IBRC M 10929T=LMG 29450T=CIP 111708T).

Background and Objectives: The use of probiotics as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry diets has attracted a lot of in- terest recently. In this context, the determination of probiotic characteristics was evaluated on several isolates obtained from Iranian poultry’s gut. Materials and Methods: Probiotic characteristics such as hemolysis activity, acid, bile, gastric juice tolerate, in vitro ad- hesion assay, cell surface properties (hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation and co-aggregation) and antibiotic susceptibility test were evaluated. Finally, selected isolates identified molecularly after temperature-salt tolerance and extracellular enzyme activity (amylase, protease and cellulose). Results: Out of 362 strains isolated from native poultry in three geographical regions of Iran, nine strains (belong to Bacillus sp., Enterococcus sp., Pediococcus sp., Lactobacillus sp., Kluyveromyces sp.) showed resistance against gastrointestinal physiological conditions, desirable surface properties, ability to adhere to epithelial intestine cell line and antibiotic suscep- tibility. Also, these strains were discovered to be temperature-salt tolerant but, only a small number of them were able to produce hydrolase enzymes. Conclusion: According to the results, the selected strains can be introduced as native probiotic candidates for utilization in novel poultry feeds.

A Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming rod-shaped non-motile, moderately halophilic and alkaliphilic bacterium, strain GASy1, was isolated from a water sample from Gomishan, a marine wetland in Iran. GASy1 required at least 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl for growth and was able to grow at NaCl concentrations of up to 15 % (w/v), with optimum growth occurring at 5 % (w/v) NaCl. The optimum pH and temperature for growth were pH 8.5-9.0 and 30 °C, respectively, while it was able to grow over a pH range and a temperature range of 7.5-10.0 and 4-40 °C, respectively. GASy1 was catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that GASy1 represents a member of the genus Salipaludibacillus, family Bacillaceae within the order Bacillales, showing 97.4 % sequence similarity to Salipaludibacillus neizhouensis JSM 071004, and 96.2 and 95.7 % sequence similarity to Salipaludibacillus agaradhaerens AC 13 and Salipaludibacillus aurantiacus S9, respectively. The DNA G+C content of GASy1 was 38.8 mol%. The polar lipids of the strain were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified phospholipids and its major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed a low level of relatedness between GASy1 and Salipaludibacillus neizhouensis IBRC-M 10892 (18 %). On the basis of a combination of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic features, GASy1 represents a novel species of the genus Salipaludibacillus, for which the name Salipaludibacillus halalkaliphilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Salipaludibacillus halalkaliphilus is GASy1 (=IBRC M 10902=LMG 28385).

Abstract. Due to the disadvantages of physiochemical methods for sulfidic spent caustic treatment, attentions are drawn to the environmental-friendly biotreatments including sulfur-oxidizing haloalkaliphiles. Thioalkalivibrio versutus DSM 13738 was grown at alkaline (pH10) autotrophic medium with sodium carbonate/bicarbonate as the sole source of carbon and amended with sodium thiosulfate as the electron and energy source. The effect of various parameters including temperature (25-40 °C), pH (8-11), NaCl concentration (0.5-5 % w/v) and sodium thiosulfate concentrations (100-750 mM) was evaluated on bacterial growth and thiosulfate removal. This strain could eliminate sodium thiosulfate at very high concentrations up to 750 mM. The results showed that the highest specific growth rate was pH 9.5 and thiosulfate removal of Thioalkalivibrio versutus occurred at pH 10.5. The optimum salt concentration for thiosulfate removal was 2.5 % w/v and 5 % NaCl and specific growth rate elevated 2.5% w/v. It was also specified that this strain thrives occurred in 37 ºC and at 35 and 37 ºC higher removal of thiosulfate. Following chemical oxidation of sulfide to thiosulfate, application of Thioalkalivibrio versutus could be promising for spent caustic treatment. Since thiosulfate is utilized as an energy source, highest removal efficiency occurred at marginally different conditions compared to optimal growth.

Due to the disadvantages of physiochemical methods for sulfidic spent caustic treatment, attentions are drawn to the environmental-friendly biotreatments including sulfur-oxidizing halo-alkaliphiles. Thioalkalivibrio versutus DSM 13738 was grown at alkaline (pH10) autotrophic medium with sodium carbonate/bicarbonate as the sole source of carbon and amended with sodium thiosulfate as the electron and energy source. The effect of various parameters including temperature (25-40 °C), pH (8-11), NaCl concentration (0.5-5 % w/v) and sodium thiosulfate concentrations (100-750 mM) was evaluated on bacterial growth and thiosulfate removal. This strain could eliminate sodium thiosulfate at very high concentrations up to 750 mM. The results showed that the highest specific growth rate was pH 9.5 and thiosulfate removal of Thioalkalivibrio versutus occurred at pH 10.5. The optimum salt concentration for thiosulfate removal was 2.5 % w/v and 5 % NaCl and specific growth rate elevated 2.5% w/v. It was also specified that this strain thrives occurred in 37 °C and at 35 and 37 °C higher removal of thiosulfate. Following chemical oxidation of sulfide to thiosulfate, application of Thioalkalivibrio versutus could be promising for spent caustic treatment. Since thiosulfate is utilized as an energy source, highest removal efficiency occurred at marginally different conditions compared to optimal growth.