Figure 9. The inactivation of LdtR_Smc by small molecules reduces osmotic stress tolerance in S. meliloti.

(A) SMP3 strain was grown in M9-glucose minimal medium with increasing concentrations of NaCl in absence (closed squares), or in presence of 25 µM benzbromarone (open triangles), or 25 µM phloretin (open circles). Growth was expressed as a percentage of the OD₆₀₀ of cells grown in M9 media, at early stationary phase. The growth curves were performed in triplicates. (B) The induction the β-glucuronidase activity, as a response to osmotic stress (closed squares), was reduced in the presence of 25 µM benzbromarone (open triangles) or 25 µM phloretin (open circles). β-glucuronidase activity was expressed as µM p-nitrophenol min⁻¹ OD₆₀₀ ⁻¹.