Insights Into the Microbiology of the Chaotropic Brines of Salar de Atacama, Chile.

ABSTRACT: Microbial life inhabiting hypersaline environments belong to a limited group of extremophile or extremotolerant taxa. Natural or artificial hypersaline environments are not limited to high concentrations of NaCl, and under such conditions, specific adaptation mechanisms are necessary to permit microbial survival and growth. Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile include three large salars (salt flats) which globally, represent the largest lithium reserves, and are commonly referred to as the Lithium Triangle Zone. To date, a large amount of information has been generated regarding chemical, geological, meteorological and economical perspectives of these salars. However, there is a remarkable lack of information regarding the biology of these unique environments. Here, we report the presence of two

SUBMITTER: Cubillos CF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6637823 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature