Brief review of phototrophs in the Crimean hypersaline lakesand lagoons: diversity, ecological role, the possibility of using
Widespread, including in Crimea, hypersaline waters are among the most extreme habitats of the planet. The need to adapt organisms to living in polyextreme environment has led to the development of a variety of adaptive mechanisms with a synthesis of unique secondary metabolites, which makes organisms dwelling hypersaline waters very promising to use them in different areas of biotechnology and aquaculture. There are three groups of phototrophs using different types of phototrophy in the Crimean hypersaline waters: oxygenic photosynthesis (cyanobacteria, microalgae, and plants), anoxygenic photosynthesis (purple and green bacteria) and proton bacteriorhodopsin pump (archaea). Diversity and roles of these groups in the Crimean lakes and lagoons as well as some perspectives of their practical use are discussed.