Isolation and characterization of a halophilic archaeon Halorubrum sodomense from Manaikudi salt pans, Tamil Nadu, South India

Archaea are mostly unexplored and distinct class of microorganism with unique features and are commonly encountered in extreme environments They are phylogenetically more similar to eukarya than bacteria. Achaeal membrane lacks peptidoglycan but have different membrane lipid bonding Archaeal lipid lacks the fatty acid found in bacteria and eukaryotes and instead have side chains composed of repeating units of isoprene. They are key players of ocean biogeochemical cycles and potential source of novel natural products including chemicals and biomolecules. The present study attempted isolation and characterization of a halophilic archaeon from a solar saltern situated at Manaikkudi Village in Nagercoil District, Tamil Nad