A New Database on Phenotypic Data on Halophilic Archaea and Insights
into their Application in Astrobiology
Abstract
Extremely halophilic archaea are microbes that thrive under very high
salinities (>20% NaCl) and are almost exclusively placed
in the class Halobacteria. In addition to their characteristic
preference for high salinity and moderately high temperatures, many
species of this class are resistant to desiccation, vacuum, and
radiation, making them interesting targets for Astrobiological studies
as model organisms and particularly relevant for the study of Mars, as
highlighted by several authors. This class has a wide environmental
range and includes species that live in salty biotopes such as salterns,
salted foods, subterranean halite, lakes, or even in deep-sea brines in
a list that includes several analogue sites. One current bottleneck of
research with this group is the dispersed nature of data associated with
its species. Our study partly addresses this by compiling phenotypic
information and records of astrobiological experiments for all
Halobacteria. We have established a database (HAPIE- Halophilic Archaea
Phenotypic Information Explorer) that allows us to quickly compare
different species as well as analyse trends and identify knowledge gaps
and research opportunities. Our study identified gaps in coverage and
knowledge (both at the level of taxonomy and range of tested parameters)
and assisted us in defining new testing priorities.