F 1F oATP synthase a-subunit of Stenotrophomonas sp. DL18 from Indian Soda Lake, Lonar: a brief report [version 1; referees: 2 not approved]

Lonar Lake, an Indian Soda Lake, is well known for its biodiversity of extremophiles including alkaliphiles. Most of the molecular studies on Lonar Lake alkaliphiles are based on molecular identification by 16S ribosomal RNA along with numerous applications in the biotechnology industry. However, molecular basis of adaptation of these alkaliphiles to high alkaline conditions is incompletely understood. Attempts were made to isolate and identify alkaliphiles from their naturally occurring original habitat, i.e. Lonar Lake, India with high alkaline conditions of pH 10.5. One facultative alkaliphile, Stenotrophomonas species DL18, was studied for F 1F oATP synthase a-subunit with reference to alkaliphile-specific domains. Although the a-subunit of Stenotrophomonas DL18 showed significant similarity with neutrophiles, the isolated bacterium is an alkaliphile and optimally grows at pH 10.5.