ARCHAEAL HALOPHILES (HALOBACTERIA) FROM 2 BRITISH SALT MINES

Samples were taken from the Winsford salt mine in Cheshire, England, w hich exploits bedded deposits from the Triassic Period (195-225 millio n years ago, MYA) and from Boulby potash mine in Cleveland, England, w hich is Permian (225-270 MYA) and is mined for the mineral sylvite (KC l). Halobacteria and obligately halophilic eubacteria were isolated fr om several different sample types. The halobacteria were characterized by chemotaxonomic methods and most but not all were shown to be very similar but not identical to those halobacterial types that dominate i n highly concentrated surface brines. There was a high degree of simil arity between the two mine populations, but some strains were particul ar to each mine.