Influence of salt concentration on the cellular fatty acid composition of the moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas salina.

The cellular fatty acid composition of Halomonas salina, a moderately halophilic bacterium grown at different salt concentrations, is reported. Fatty acids C16:0 and C18:1 were major components and significant amounts of C16:1, C18:0 and cyc-C19:0 were also detected. The results showed clear chemotaxonomic relationships with recognized members of the genus Halomonas. The salt concentration greatly influenced the fatty acid composition, suggesting activation of cyclopropane synthetase at high levels of salt, since increases in cyclopropane fatty acids with decreases in monounsaturated fatty acids were observed as the salt concentration in the medium rose.