An Alkalophilic Species of Ectothiorhodospira from a Kenyan Soda Lake

Abstract
Summary: An Ectothiorhodospira sp. was isolated from an alkaline mud sample from Lake Hannington, Kenya. It closely resembled Ectothiorhodospira shaposhnikovii in its ultrastructure, GC content, photosynthetic pigments, flagella position and mode of sulphur deposition, but differed in exhibiting more extreme alkalophily, the pH optimum being 9·0 to 9·5, and in being obligately phototrophic.