Bacteria in the Bottom Sediments of the Dead Sea

Elazari-Volcani, B.

doi:10.1038/152274c0

Cited by 48 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…This lower water mass (down to a maximal depth of 320 m) was anaerobic, as were the bottom sediments. Anaerobic halophilic bacteria were recovered from these sediments as early as 1943 [6], but unfortunately these early isolates have not been preserved. In February 1979, an overturn of the lake's water column caused a complete mixing, and oxygen penetrated down to the bottom.…”

Section: Anaerobic Halophilic Bacteria From the Bottom Sediments Of Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecology and taxonomy of anaerobic halophilic eubacteria

Oren¹

1986

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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Section: Anaerobic Halophilic Bacteria From the Bottom Sediments Of Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecology and taxonomy of anaerobic halophilic eubacteria

Oren¹

1986

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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“…With an average salinity of 370 g of salt per kilogram of water, compared with the ocean's average of 35, the Dead Sea is the most concentrated natural hyper-saline lake in the world (Neev and Emery 1967). As the name suggests, the sea is devoid of life, except for salt-tolerant halophytic bacteria normally present in salty waters (Elzari-Volcani 1936, 1940, 1943. The salts of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and bromine (Br) provide the raw material for fertilizers, bath salts, and cosmetic products, which are marketed worldwide, and serve as the basis for a complex chemical industry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low levels of toxic elements in Dead Sea black mud and mud-derived cosmetic products

Abdel-Fattah

Pingitore

2008

Environ Geochem Health

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Natural muds used as or in cosmetics may expose consumers to toxic metals and elements via absorption through the skin, inhalation of the dried product, or ingestion (by children). Despite the extensive therapeutic and cosmetic use of the Dead Sea muds, there apparently has been no assessment of the levels of such toxic elements as Pb, As, or Cd in the mud and mud-based products. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis of eight toxic elements in samples collected from three black mud deposits (Lisan Marl, Pleistocene age) on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea in Jordan revealed no special enrichment of toxic elements in the mud. A similar analysis of 16 different commercial Dead Sea mud cosmetics, including packaged mud, likewise revealed no toxic elements at elevated levels of concern. From a toxic element standpoint, the Dead Sea black muds and derivative products appear to be safe for the consumer. Whatever the therapeutic benefits of the mud, our comparison of the elemental fingerprints of the consumer products with those of the field samples revealed one disturbing aspect: Dead Sea black mud should not be a significant component of such items as hand creams, body lotions, shampoo, and moisturizer.

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“…volcanii was first isolated from the sediment of the Dead Sea (Mullakhanbhai and Larsen 1975). The organism originally described as Halobacterium volcanii was named after the microbiologist Benjamin Elazari-Volcani who reported the presence of indigenous microbial life in the salt rich Dead Sea (Elazari-Volcani 1943). It grows optimally at 45°C with a generation time of 2 h (Robinson et al 2005).…”

Section: Genetics and Biochemistry Of H Volcaniimentioning

confidence: 99%

Haloferax volcanii for biotechnology applications: challenges, current state and perspectives

Haque

Paradisi

Allers

2019

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

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Haloferax volcanii is an obligate halophilic archaeon with its origin in the Dead Sea. Simple laboratory culture conditions and a wide range of genetic tools have made it a model organism for studying haloarchaeal cell biology. Halophilic enzymes of potential interest to biotechnology have opened up the application of this organism in biocatalysis, bioremediation, nanobiotechnology, bioplastics and the biofuel industry. Functionally active halophilic proteins can be easily expressed in a halophilic environment, and an extensive genetic toolkit with options for regulated protein overexpression has allowed the purification of biotechnologically important enzymes from different halophiles in H. volcanii. However, corrosion mediated damage caused to stainless-steel bioreactors by high salt concentrations and a tendency to form biofilms when cultured in high volume are some of the challenges of applying H. volcanii in biotechnology. The ability to employ expressed active proteins in immobilized cells within a porous biocompatible matrix offers new avenues for exploiting H. volcanii in biotechnology. This review critically evaluates the various application potentials, challenges and toolkits available for using this extreme halophilic organism in biotechnology.

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Bacteria in the Bottom Sediments of the Dead Sea

Cited by 48 publications

References 2 publications

The ecology and taxonomy of anaerobic halophilic eubacteria

The ecology and taxonomy of anaerobic halophilic eubacteria

Low levels of toxic elements in Dead Sea black mud and mud-derived cosmetic products

Haloferax volcanii for biotechnology applications: challenges, current state and perspectives

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