Halomonadaceae

Halomonadaceae is a family of halophilic Proteobacteria.
History.
The family was originally described in 1988 to contain the genera "Halomonas" and "Deleya".
In 1989, "Chromobacterium marismortui" was reclassified as "Chromohalobacter marismortui" forming a third genus in the family Halomonadaceae.
Subsequently, in 1990 a species was discovered and was originally proposed to be called "Volcaniella eurihalina" forming a new genus in the "Halomonadaceae", but was later (in 1995) reclassified as a member of the genus "Halomonas".
The species "Carnimonas nigrificans" (sole member of genus) was not placed in the family due to the lack of two out of 15 descriptive 16S rRNA signature sequences, but it has been proposed to reclassify it into the family.
In 1996, the family was later reorganised by unifying genera "Deleya", "Halomonas" and "Halovibrio" and the species "Paracoccus halodenitrificans" into "Halomonas" and placing "Zymobacter" in this family. However, it was later discovered that the strain of "Halovibrio variabilis" DSM 3051 and DSM 3050 differed and the latter was made type strain of the "Halovibrio", which remains still in use. and now comprising two species (the other being Halovibrio denitrificans)
In 2002, "Halomonas marina" was transferred to its own genus "Cobetia", and in 2009 "Halomonas marisflavi", "Halomonas indalinina". and "Halomonas avicenniae" were transferred to a new genus called "Kushneria" (5 species)
Several singleton genera were created recently: in 2007, "Halotalea alkalilenta" was described, "Aidingimonas halophila" in 2009, "Halospina denitrificans" in 2006, "Modicisalibacter tunisiensis" in 2009 "Salinicola socius" in 2009. To the latter genus two species were transferred "Halomonas salaria" as "Salinicola salarius" and "Chromohalobacter salarius" as "Salinicola halophilus".
The family also contain the recently discovered but uncultured bacterium "Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum" (primary endosymbionts of whiteflies).
Genera.
Note: Species of "Deleya" and "Halovibrio" are now "Halomonas"
Etymology.
The names derives from Halomonas, which is the type genus of the family, plus the suffix -aceae, ending to denote a family
Research.
Geomicrobiologist Felisa Wolfe-Simon with a NASA funded team is researching a particular strain the family Halomonadaceae, named GFAJ-1, isolated and cultured from sediments collected along the shore of Mono Lake, near Yosemite National Park in eastern California. This GFAJ-1 strain of Halomonadaceae can grow in the presence of high concentrations of arsenic.