The formation of hydroxyectoine in the industrial ectoine producer Halomonas elongata was improved by the heterologous expression of the ectoine hydroxylase gene, thpD, from Streptomyces chrysomallus. The efficient conversion of ectoine to hydroxyectoine was achieved by the concerted regulation of thpD by the H. elongata ectA promoter.

The structure of a new phosphoglycolipid from the halophilic Gram-negative bacteria Halomonas elongata ATCC 33173(T), Halomonas eurihalina ATCC 49336(T), Halomonas almeriensis CECT 7050(T), strain Sharm (AM238662), Halomonas halophila DSM 4770(T), and Halomonas salina ATCC 49509(T) was elucidated by NMR and mass spectroscopy studies. In all of the species examined, the polar lipid composition c...

The role of choline in osmoprotection in the moderate halophile Halomonas elongata has been examined. Transport and conversion of choline to betaine began immediately after addition of choline to the growth medium. Intracellular accumulation of betaine synthesized from choline was salt dependent up to 2.5 M NaCl. Oxidation of choline was enhanced at 2.0 M NaCl in the presence or absence of exte...

Halomonas elongata strain K4 is an endophytic bacterial strain that was isolated from roots of Cyperus conglomeratus collected at the Red Sea coast in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. Here, we present a draft genome sequence of this strain, highlighting a number of pathways involved in plant growth promotion under salt stress.

Phase-partitioning studies of the euryhaline bacterium Halomonas elongata demonstrated that the hydrophobic-hydrophilic nature of the cell surface changed as the bacterium grew in different NaCl concentrations. Mid-log-phase cells grown in a high (3.4 M) NaCl concentration were more hydrophilic than were cells grown in a low (0.05 M) NaCl concentration. Mid-log-phase cells from defined medium c...

A transaminase from Halomonas elongata and four mutants generated by an in silico-based design were recombinantly produced in E. coli, purified and applied to the amination of mono-substituted aromatic carbonyl-derivatives. While benzaldehyde derivatives were excellent substrates, only NO2-acetophenones were transformed into the (S)-amine with a high enantioselectivity. The different behaviour ...

The osmoregulatory pathways of the moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 3043 have been investigated. This strain grew optimally at 1.5 to 2 M NaCl in M63 glucose-defined medium. It required at least 0.5 M NaCl for growth, which is a higher concentration than that exhibited by the H. elongata type strain ATCC 33173. Externally provided betaine, choline, or choline-O-sulfate (bu...

The halophilic γ-proteobacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 2581(T) thrives at high salinity by synthesizing and accumulating the compatible solute ectoine. Ectoine levels are highly regulated according to external salt levels but the overall picture of its metabolism and control is not well understood. Apart from its critical role in cell adaptation to halophilic environments, ectoine can be used ...