Blue Biotechnology Journal ISSN: 2163-3886 Volume 1, Number 4 © Nova Science Publishers, Inc. CAROTENOID PRODUCING SALINICOCCUS SP . NS1: A MODERATELY HALOPHILIC BACTERIUM ISOLATED FROM SEA ANEMONE ANTHOPLEURA SP . Kannan Narmatha, Vijayaragavan Thangaviji, Subramanian Velmurugan, Maria Thason Birdilla Selva Donio, John Selesteen Charles Adlin Jenifer, Mariavincent Michael Babu, and Thavasimuthu Citarasu  Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Rajakkamangalam, Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu, India ABSTRACT Associated bacterial micro biota were isolated and identified from sea anemone Anthopleura sp collected from the rocky shore of Muttom, Kanyakumari district, Tamilnadu, India. Among the isolates, Salinicoccus sp. NS1 and Micrococcus sp. were the dominant genera which composed 60% of the total micro biota. The dominant dark orange colony was identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and confirmed as Salinicoccus sp. NS1 (GenBank: JQ026409.1). Morphological and phenotypic identification revealed that, the Salinicoccus sp. NS1 was Gram positive, non motile cocci. Blast similarity and phylogenetic analysis revealed that, Salinicoccus sp. NS1 has close similarity with Salinicoccus sp. SP1-2, S. roseus rvscokh 1 followed by S. marinus, Salinicoccus sp. 10085 and S. roseus Iii 10. In order to optimize the growth characteristics, the culture media was prepared with various NaCl concentrations (2-16 %) and pH (5-10). The Salinicoccus sp. NS1 grew well in 10 – 12 % NaCl and 8 pH. For qualitative carotenoid characterization, Lambda max (λ) analysis revealed that, Salinicoccus sp. NS1 produce various carotenoids including phytofluene, ζ-carotene, violaxonthin, lutin-5,6-epoxide, Ȗ- carotene, antheraxanthin and ȕ-carotene. In order to characterize the extra cellular secondary metabolites from the Salinicoccus sp. NS1, the culture broth was extracted, purified and characterized by GC- MS analysis. Various retention times of the GC-MS analysis revealed that, different compounds such as 2-propenal, 2-methyl-, cyclohexanol, 4-methyl-, dimethyl sulfone, 2- pentanethiol, 2,4(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione, 1,3,5-,methacrylamide, pyrrolo[1,2- a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, 2-piperidinone, heptanol and 2-decene, 2-methyl were present in the cell free extract of this bacteria.  E-mail: citarasu@gmail.com