User talk:Sararimanic/sandbox

Ecology

Halobacteria can be found in highly saline lakes such as the Great Salt Lake, the Dead Sea, and Lake Magadi. Halobacterium can be identified in bodies of water by the light-detecting pigment bacteriorhodopsin, which not only provides the archaeon with chemical energy but adds to its reddish hue as well. An optimal temperature for growth has been observed at 37 °C.

Halobacterium may be a candidate for a life form present on Mars. One of the problems associated with the survival on Mars is the destructive ultraviolet light. These microorganisms develop a thin crust of salt that can moderate some of the ultraviolet light. Sodium chloride is the most common salt and chloride salts are opaque to short-wave ultraviolet. Their photosynthetic pigment, bacteriorhodopsin, is actually opaque to the longer-wavelength ultraviolet (its red colour). In addition, Halobacterium makes pigments called bacterioruberins that are thought to protect cells from damage by ultraviolet light. The obstacle they need to overcome is being able to grow at a low temperature during a presumably short time when a pool of water could be liquid.

Applications

Food Industry

Beta-Carotene, a pigment in halophilic bacteria that contributes to their red coloration, is used in the food industry as a natural food dye. Halophiles produce degradative enzymes such as lipases, amylases, proteases, and xylanases that are used in various food processing methods. Notable applications of these enzymes include enhancing the fermentation process of salty foods, improving dough quality for the baking of breads, and contributing to the production of coffee.

Bioremediation

Many species of halophilic bacteria produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) which are used industrially as bioremediation agents. Biosurfactants are also released by many halophilic bacteria and these amphiphilic compounds have been used for soil remediation. Many halophiles are highly tolerant of heavy metals making them potentially useful in the bioremediation of xenobiotic compounds and heavy metals that are released into the environment from mining and metal plating. Halophiles contribute to the bioremediation of contaminants by converting xenobiotics into less toxic compounds.

Pharmaceuticals

Some strains of Halobacterium, including Halobacterium salinarum, are being explored for medical applications of their radiation-resistance mechanisms. Bacterioruberin is a carotenoid pigment found in Halobacterium which decreases the bacteria’s sensitivity to γ-radiation and UV radiation. H. salinarum also exhibits high intracellular concentrations of potassium chloride which has also been shown to confer radiation resistance. Halobacterium are also being explored for the pharmaceutical applications of bioactive compounds they produce, including anticancer agents, antimicrobial biosurfactancts, and antimicrobial metabolites.

References

Sararimanic (talk) 00:03, 9 October 2017 (UTC)

Sara's peer review

The newly incorporated section, “Application,” is aptly placed below other introductory paragraphs and near the end of the wiki article. With a good understanding of the general characteristics of Halobacteria, readers can then smoothly transition into the potential benefits this bacterium offer to the environment. The “Application” heading is labelled clearly and divided into three subheadings; the choice of each subheading (Food industry, bioremediation, and pharmaceuticals) is extremely relevant to contemporary and active research.

Since the application section was split into 3 subsections, the coverage for each subsection was brief but concise. Overall, the paragraphs remained neutral by presenting in third person perspective; it was made easy to read with the help of hyperlinks on scientific jargons, such as “xylanases” and “Halobacterium salinarum.” The integrated paragraphs contain no visible grammar error and sentences flow from one idea to the next. For example, under the subheading, “Bioremediation,” the author first introduces the characteristics and properties of a compound found in Halobacterium, biosurfactants. The author then relates how the properties can contribute to the breakdown of xenobiotic toxins, followed by an example of how the toxins are produced – mining.

Upon further inspection of the sources, there were no signs of close paraphrasing or plagiarism. All sources are reliable peer-reviewed articles, and citations are inserted properly after each statement and evidence extracted from literature. However, each subheading seems to come from one source only. For instance, the paragraph on “pharmaceuticals” consist of only one cited source. This greatly narrows the viewpoint on this subject, which makes it easy to introduce unintentional bias. This can be easily improved by spending more time researching the topic; the reference section often provides related journals that can be used to strengthen the paragraph and to ensure different viewpoints are expressed.

Timochui (talk) 03:58, 9 November 2017 (UTC)

Ecology

Halobacteria can be found in highly saline lakes such as the Great Salt Lake, the Dead Sea, and Lake Magadi. Halobacterium can be identified in bodies of water by the light-detecting pigment bacteriorhodopsin, which not only provides the archaeon with chemical energy but adds to its reddish hue as well. An optimal temperature for growth has been observed at 37 °C.

Halobacterium may be a candidate for a life form present on Mars. One of the problems associated with the survival on Mars is the destructive ultraviolet light. These microorganisms develop a thin crust of salt that can moderate some of the ultraviolet light. Sodium chloride is the most common salt and chloride salts are opaque to short-wave ultraviolet. Their photosynthetic pigment, bacteriorhodopsin, is actually opaque to the longer-wavelength ultraviolet (its red colour). In addition, Halobacterium makes pigments called bacterioruberins that are thought to protect cells from damage by ultraviolet light. The obstacle they need to overcome is being able to grow at a low temperature during a presumably short time when a pool of water could be liquid.

Applications

Food Industry

Beta-Carotene, a pigment in halophilic bacteria that contributes to their red coloration, is used in the food industry as a natural food dye. Halophiles produce degradative enzymes such as lipases, amylases, proteases, and xylanases that are used in various food processing methods. Notable applications of these enzymes include enhancing the fermentation process of salty foods, improving dough quality for the baking of breads, and contributing to the production of coffee.

Bioremediation

Many species of halophilic bacteria produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) which are used industrially as bioremediation agents. Biosurfactants are also released by many halophilic bacteria and these amphiphilic compounds have been used for soil remediation. Many halophiles are highly tolerant of heavy metals making them potentially useful in the bioremediation of xenobiotic compounds and heavy metals that are released into the environment from mining and metal plating. Halophiles contribute to the bioremediation of contaminants by converting xenobiotics into less toxic compounds. Some Halobacterium species have been shown to be effective in the bioremediation of pollutants including aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as those found in crude oil; and aromatic hydrocarbons such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, a contaminant in some high salinity industrial runoffs.

Pharmaceuticals

Some strains of Halobacterium, including Halobacterium salinarum, are being explored for medical applications of their radiation-resistance mechanisms. Bacterioruberin is a carotenoid pigment found in Halobacterium which decreases the bacteria’s sensitivity to γ-radiation and UV radiation. It has been shown in knockout studies, that the absence of bacterioruberin increases the sensitivity of the bacterium to oxidative DNA-damaging agents. Hydrogen peroxide, for example, reacts with bacteroruberin which prevents the production of reactive oxygen species, and thus protects the bacterium by reducing the oxidative capacity of the DNA-damaging agent. H. salinarum also exhibits high intracellular concentrations of potassium chloride which has also been shown to confer radiation resistance. Halobacterium are also being explored for the pharmaceutical applications of bioactive compounds they produce, including anticancer agents, antimicrobial biosurfactancts, and antimicrobial metabolites.

References

Sararimanic (talk) 02:39, 20 November 2017 (UTC)