Haloferax

Haloferax
Scientific classification
Domain:	Archaea
Kingdom:	Euryarchaeota
Phylum:	Euryarchaeota
Class:	Halobacteria
Order:	Halobacteriales
Family:	Methanobacteriaceae
Genus:	Haloferax
Binomial name
Haloferax Torreblanca et al. 1986
Species
H. alexandrinus H. denitrificans H. elongans H. gibbonsii H. larsenii H. lucentense H. mediterranei H. mucosum H. prahovense H. sulfurifontis H. volcanii

In taxonomy, Haloferax is a genus of the Halobacteriaceae.

Genetic exchange

Cells of Haloferax mediterranei and cells of the related species Haloferax volcanii can undergo a process of genetic exchange between two cells of the same species which involves cell fusion resulting in a heterodiploid cell (containing two different chromosomes in one cell). Although this genetic exchange ordinarily occurs between two cells of the same species, it can also occur at a lower frequency between an H. mediterranei and an H. volcani cell. These two species have an average nucleotide sequence identity of 86.6%. During this exchange process a diploid cell is formed that contains the full genetic repertoire of both parental cells, and genetic recombination is facilitated. Subsequently, the cells separate, giving rise to recombinant cells.

See also

• Archaea
• Homologous recombination
• Extremophile

Further reading

Scientific databases

• PubMed references for Haloferax
• PubMed Central references for Haloferax
• Google Scholar references for Haloferax

External links

• NCBI taxonomy page for Haloferax
• Search Tree of Life taxonomy pages for Haloferax
• Search Species2000 page for Haloferax
• MicrobeWiki page for Haloferax
• LSPN page for Haloferax