Genome description of a potentially novel species of Halomonas sp. strain SL18_1 isolated from Sambhar Lake, India

A potentially novel species belonging to the genus Halomonas bearing strain number SL18_1 has been isolated from Sambhar Lake, the largest inland salt water wetland located in the North of India. Based on 16S rRNA sequence search in INSDC DNA databases, the isolate showed 99.3% identity with Halomonas chromatireducens. Based on long-read sequencing using Oxford Nanopore Technologies chemistry, followed by annotation, the genome size of this organism has been found to be approximately 4.14 Mb in size. The genome has a GC content of 66.27% and closest to Halomonas campisalis based on genome relatedness. The functional annotation of draft genome revealed the presence of key genes involved in nitrate reduction and denitrification pathways including nirB, nirD, and nasD (nitrate reductase), nirS (nitrite reductase), norB and norC (nitric-oxide reductase). The nosZ coding for nitrous-oxide reductase has been also identified from the draft genome. This strain also possesses genes linked to breakdown of benzoate compounds as well as osmoregulatory genes which can possibly allow the bacterium to adapt to high osmotic stress. Besides, the presence of ibaG gene within the genome can allow this organism to adapt to acidic stress. Genes linked to multidrug resistance including mdtA, mdtB and mdtK have been identified from the genome of Halomonas sp. strain SL18_1.