Salar Grande
Around a quarter of the earth is underlain by salt deposits, and all of those studied to date house halophilic microbes, making ancient salt an abundant subterranean habitat. We have shown that while there is a rapid initial decline in cell numbers after trapping haloarchaea inside fluid inclusions of halite (NaCl), the cells remain viable for several years. In order to gain insights into the mechanisms involved we are currently probing the proteome of such entrapped cells, varying key parameters, such as type and amount of nutrient supply, microbial species and time. In addition, we continue to isolate halophiles and their genes from ancient salt. This research has focused on the stunning salt deposits of Salar Grande but also other sites around the world.
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