Aproaches to microbial metabolomics

Within the scope of this study, the physicochemical compositions of brine samples taken from six different salinity pools of the Çamaltı Salt Lake in Izmir, Turkey's largest marine salt lake, were determined, and their microbial diversity was studied using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Various new selective culture media were prepared to cultivate microorganisms from pools from 6 different salinities, which are predominant in these pools and play an important role in determining the metabolic composition of the pool but are difficult to cultivate. Fourteen isolates belonging to the Halorubrum genus, representing nine different species, as well as three different Haloarcula species, and 15 different halophilic bacterial species were identified in medium and low salinity pools. In a second culture study developed at high salinity and in media containing Basitrasin, members of the archaeal genera Halorubrum (11 isolates), Haloarcula (5 isolates), and Haloferax (3 isolates), as well as the bacterial genera Salicola, Halovibrio, and Halospina, were isolated and their stocks were prepared. The prokaryotic cell density in pond waters with variable salinity, determined by counting after staining with DAPI was found to be in the range of (0.7-4.1) x 10⁷ mL-1. Metabolomic data were obtained from environmental samples and microbial cultures using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. As a result of the analyses carried out to determine the metabolites present in salt pond waters, components such as glycerol, organic acids and fatty acids were detected in varying proportions in all salinity samples.