This is the comparative investigation of the composition of phototrophic microbial mats developing in sulfide-rich saline Chokrak springs with outflow at the shore of the hypersaline lake Chokrak by means of next-generation sequencing. The springs are characterized by low temperature (~ 15 °C), near-neutral pH (6.7-8.5), and high-sulfide content. In the species composition the benthic microbial communities of Chokrak springs are similar to microbial mats of marine supralittoral and lagoons. Our results showed that salinity limitation had a significant effect on the species composition of benthic microbial communities developing at the outflow of the Chokrak springs. Predominant oxygenic phototrophs belonged to the genera Phormidium, Lyngbya, Leptolyngbya, Geitlerinema, and Arthrospira. Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria were represented by halophilic green sulfur bacteria Prosthecochloris spp., halotolerant Chlorobaculum sp., as well as marine and extremely halophilic purple bacteria Roseospira, Rhodovibrio, and Halochromatium. Monoculture of a new species of halotolerant anoxygenic filamentous phototrophic bacteria was isolated.
Keywords: Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria; Cold saline sulfide-rich springs; Cyanobacterial mats; Halophilic phototrophic communities.