Table 2 Media and the conditions employed for isolation of different categories of extremophiles

Acidophilic

Nutrient agar (NA): 5 g peptone; 5 g NaCl; 3 g beef extract; 20 g agar (pH 3–5)

Soil extract agar: 2 g glucose; 1 g Yeast Extract; 0.5 g K₂HPO₄; 100 ml Soil extract^a; 20 g agar; (pH 3–5)

Alkaliphilic

Nutrient agar (pH 8–11)

Soil extract agar (pH 8–11)

Thermophilic

Nutrient agar

Soil extract agar

Tryptic soy agar: 17 g tryptone; 3 g soya meal; 2.5 g dextrose; 5 g NaCl; 2.5 g K₂HPO₄; 20 g agar; pH 7.2

Psychrophilic

NA, NA diluted 10 times, 100 times

Soil extract agar

Tryptic soy agar

Halophilic

NA (with 5,10, 15 and 20 % NaCl concentration)

Soil extract agar

Chemically defined medium: 5 g casamino acids; 5 g yeast extract; 1 g sodium glutamate; 3 g tri-sodium citrate; 20 g MgSO₄; 2 g KCl; 100 g NaCl; 36 mg FeCl₂; 0.36 mg MgCl₂; 20 g agar; pH 7.0–7.2

Halophilic medium: 100 g NaCl; 2 g KCl; 1 g MgSO₄ · 7H₂O; 0.36 g CaCl₂ · 2H₂O; 0.23 g NaBr; 0.06 g NaHCO₃; 5 g protease-peptone; 10 g yeast extract; 1 g glucose; trace FeCl3; 20 g agar; pH 7.2–7.4