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Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1992 Nov;174(22):7474–7477. doi: 10.1128/jb.174.22.7474-7477.1992

Glycine betaine and potassium ion are the major compatible solutes in the extremely halophilic methanogen Methanohalophilus strain Z7302.

M C Lai 1, R P Gunsalus 1
PMCID: PMC207447  PMID: 1429470

Abstract

Methanohalophilus strain Z7302 was previously isolated from a hypersaline environment and grows over a range of NaCl concentrations from 1.7 to 4.4 M. We examined the relationships between cell growth rate, cell volume, and intracellular solute concentrations with increasing salinity. This extremely halophilic methanogen synthesized three zwitterionic compounds, beta-glutamine, N epsilon-acetyl-beta-lysine, and glycine betaine, and also accumulated potassium ion as compatible solutes to balance the external and internal osmotic pressures. Potassium and glycine betaine were the predominant compatible solutes when Methanohalophilus strain Z7302 was grown at high external NaCl concentrations and approached intracellular levels of 3 and 4 M, respectively.

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Selected References

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