Influence of temperature and salt concentration on the growth of a facultatively halophilic "Micrococcus" sp.

Growth characteristics of a facultatively halophilic strain of Micrococcus, capable of growth in medium containing no added NaCl and in medium containing 5.5 M NaCl, were studied over a range of salt concentrations and temperatures. Optimal growth occurred at 35C in a medium containing 1.0 M NaCl. In a medium containing 0.1 M NaCl, growth only occurred if the incubation temperature was less than 30C. No growth occurred if KCl, LiCl, NH4Cl, MgCl2, or sucrose was substituted for NaCl at 35C. A reexamination of bacteria previously described as moderate halophiles is suggested.