Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1984 Oct;160(1):478–479. doi: 10.1128/jb.160.1.478-479.1984

Betaine is the main compatible solute of halophilic eubacteria.

J F Imhoff, F Rodriguez-Valera
PMCID: PMC214750  PMID: 6148337

Abstract

A number of moderately halophilic bacteria of diverse taxonomic groups have been studied to determine the intracellular concentrations of organic compounds at various salt concentrations. Betaine was accumulated in all of these organisms in proportion to the salinity of the medium, suggesting that this compound plays a major role in osmoregulation.

Full text

PDF
478

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Brown A. D. Microbial water stress. Bacteriol Rev. 1976 Dec;40(4):803–846. doi: 10.1128/br.40.4.803-846.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. CHRISTIAN J. H., WALTHO J. A. Solute concentrations within cells of halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1962 Dec 17;65:506–508. doi: 10.1016/0006-3002(62)90453-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Gustafsson L., Norkrans B. On the mechanism of salt tolerance. Production of glycerol and heat during growth of Debaryomyces hansenii. Arch Microbiol. 1976 Nov 2;110(23):177–183. doi: 10.1007/BF00690226. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Le Rudulier D., Bouillard L. Glycine betaine, an osmotic effector in Klebsiella pneumoniae and other members of the Enterobacteriaceae. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Jul;46(1):152–159. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.1.152-159.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Measures J. C. Role of amino acids in osmoregulation of non-halophilic bacteria. Nature. 1975 Oct 2;257(5525):398–400. doi: 10.1038/257398a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Tempest D. W., Meers J. L., Brown C. M. Influence of environment on the content and composition of microbial free amino acid pools. J Gen Microbiol. 1970 Dec;64(2):171–185. doi: 10.1099/00221287-64-2-171. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Woese C. R., Fox G. E. Phylogenetic structure of the prokaryotic domain: the primary kingdoms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Nov;74(11):5088–5090. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.11.5088. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES