Exploring the Role of Sulfur Metabolism in the Adaptation of Halobacterium salinarum to High-Salt Environments
Author: Sumyeha Afzal
Faculty Supervisor: José R. de la Torre
Department: Biology
This project aims to investigate how sulfur metabolism contributes to the adaptation of Halobacterium salinarum, a halophilic archaeon, to high-salt environments. Halophiles, including Halobacterium salinarum, thrive in extreme salinity but face challenges such as osmotic stress and oxidative damage due to high salt concentrations. Sulfur is a key element involved in various biochemical processes essential for cellular function, including osmolyte synthesis, antioxidant defense, and energy production. Halobacterium salinarum likely utilizes sulfur metabolism pathways to manage osmotic stress, maintain redox balance, and generate energy, thus enabling its survival in high-salt environments. Understanding how Halobacterium salinarum modulates sulfur metabolism under extreme salinity conditions can provide valuable insights into its adaptive strategies and may have implications for biotechnological applications, such as the development of salt-tolerant organisms or bioproduction in saline conditions. This project will employ molecular biology techniques, biochemical assays, and comparative analyses to unravel the intricate mechanisms underlying sulfur metabolism and its contribution to Halobacterium salinarum adaptation.