Energetic basis of development of salt-tolerant transport in a moderately halophilic bacterium, Vibrio costicola

Growth enhancement of the halotolerant Brevibacterium sp. JCM 6894 by methionine externally added to a chemically defined medium

We examined amino acid requirements for the growth of the halotolerant Brevibacterium sp. JCM 6894 in the absence and presence of 1.2 M NaCl in a chemically defined medium. The experiment was also carried out in the presence of 1.2 M KCl. As a result, growth was highly enhanced by methionine in the absence and presence of KCl as well as NaCl up to 1.2 M. However, growth in the presence of 150 mM methionine was repressed by leucine (up to 100 mM）and valine (up to 100 mM). Concentration-dependent growth inhibition was observed in the presence of isoleucine (up to 150 mM) and threonine (up to 300 mM). When the cells were incubated in the absence of externally added K+, growth was strongly repressed, even in the presence of 150 mM methionine. The growth, however, recovered drastically by the addition of 1 mM KCl, regardless of the presence and absence of 1.2 M NaCl. These results indicate that methionine, which seems to be symported into cytoplasm with K+, plays an important role in the growth of the strain under salt stress.

Biology of moderately halophilic aerobic bacteria

The moderately halophilic heterotrophic aerobic bacteria form a diverse group of microorganisms. The property of halophilism is widespread within the bacterial domain. Bacterial halophiles are abundant in environments such as salt lakes, saline soils, and salted food products. Most species keep their intracellular ionic concentrations at low levels while synthesizing or accumulating organic solutes to provide osmotic equilibrium of the cytoplasm with the surrounding medium. Complex mechanisms of adjustment of the intracellular environments and the properties of the cytoplasmic membrane enable rapid adaptation to changes in the salt concentration of the environment. Approaches to the study of genetic processes have recently been developed for several moderate halophiles, opening the way toward an understanding of haloadaptation at the molecular level. The new information obtained is also expected to contribute to the development of novel biotechnological uses for these organisms.

Mechanisms of halotolerance in microorganisms

Microorganisms have the ability to adapt to a wide range of NaCl concentrations. In general the NaCl tolerance shown by microbes far exceeds the salt tolerance of any other organism, procryote or eukaryote. There are at least three mechanisms available for adaptation to different salt concentrations. The first would be a passive one in which the cytoplasmic ion content would always equal that in the medium. A second mechanism which is used by many organisms involves concentrating compatible solutes to create an osmotic balance between the cytoplasm and the external environment. The third mechanism involves changing the cell physiology to control the movement of water allowing the cell to exist with an ionically dilute cytoplasm. This article will review the major developments and discuss the implications of increasing knowledge about salt tolerance in microorganisms.