Halocins: are they involved in the competition between halobacteria in saltern ponds?

Many representatives of the family Halobacteriaceae ("halobacteria") excrete halophilic bacteriocins (halocins) that inhibit the growth of other halobacteria. In spite of the fact that halocin production is widespread among the Halobacteriaceae, no information is available on their ecological significance. To test whether halocins may play a role in the interspecies competition between different types of halobacteria in saltern crystallizer ponds inhabited by dense communities of these red halophiles, we assayed for halocins active against a variety of halobacteria in salterns from different locations worldwide. Detection of halocin activity was based on the inhibition of growth of indicator organisms on agar plates, the decreased incorporation of radiolabeled substrates, and microscopic examinations. No halocin activity was detected in any of the brines examined, in spite of the fact that halocin production was demonstrated in cultures of most microorganisms isolated from these brines. Thus, the contribution of halocins in the competition between different halobacteria in hypersaline aquatic environments is probably negligible.