**4. Conclusions**

The analysis of the complete genome sequence of *Hrs. convoluta* has provided further insight into the photoheterotrophic metabolism, nitrogen utilization, sulfur assimilation, and pigment biosynthesis pathways of heliobacteria, as well as molecular adaptations to an alkaliphilic existence. Further biochemical and genetic experimentation with alkaliphilic heliobacteria, including *Hrs. convoluta*, is necessary to confirm genomics-based predictions regarding the roles of specific genes and the apparent absence of specific enzyme activities.

**Author Contributions:** J.W.T., R.E.B., M.T.M., E.D.D., and W.M.S. conceived and designed the experiments. All authors performed the experiments and analyzed the data, with the bulk of the analysis done by E.D.D., L.M.S., B.M.B., K.N.S., J.M.B., and W.M.S. The culture of *Heliorestis convoluta* str. HH<sup>T</sup> was provided by M.T.M. Submission and accessioning of the *Hrs. convoluta* genome with GenBank was initiated and overseen by S.N. and M.G.G. The manuscript was prepared by E.D.D., W.M.S., and M.T.M., with other authors providing reviews and edits for the final version. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This work was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation Phototrophic Prokaryotes Sequencing Project as an award to J.W.T., R.E.B., and M.T.M. (Evolutionary Diversification of Photosynthesis and the Anoxygenic to Oxygenic Transition; NSF Grant #0950550).

**Acknowledgments:** Support for participation of E.D.D., L.M.S., B.M.B., K.N.S., and W.M.S. in this research was provided by Hodson Research Institute (Indiana Wesleyan University) grants to W.M.S. We thank Dr. Marie Asao for her detailed studies of the basic physiology of *Hrs. convoluta* str. HHT.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
