Alkaliphiles: Diversity and Bioprospection. Diversity and Bioprospection.

Extremophiles, especially alkaliphiles, are the group of microorganisms growing optimally at or above pH 9. These organisms have been isolated from various alkaline niches such as soda lakes, soda deserts, etc. Out of those, Rift Valley, Wadi Natrun, and Lonar Lake are extensively studied. The microorganisms found are adapted to these alkaline habitats through pH homeostasis in which various cell membrane proteins are involved. Many researchers throughout the globe have explored these extreme habitats for isolation of novel alkaliphiles, alkalithermophiles belonging to various phyla such as Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Archaea, etc. Advancement in molecular biology technique leads to study diversity by culture independent methods such as metagenomics and genome sequencing. Many novel phyla described through this process are Cytophaga/. Flavobacterium/. Bacteroides, Planctomycetes, Cyanobacteria, Spirochaeta, etc. This vast diversity of alkaliphiles harbors a great biotechnological potential in production of industrially important enzymes, antibiotics, exopolysaccharides, and polyhydroxyalkanoates. Thus, one has to conserve these pristine habitats to preserve the wealth of microbes in future.