This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Le Rudulier, D Articles by Bouillard, L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Le Rudulier, D Articles by Bouillard, L Agricola Articles by Le Rudulier, D Articles by Bouillard, L

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 July; 46(1): 152-159

Glycine betaine, an osmotic effector in Klebsiella pneumoniae and other members of the Enterobacteriaceae.

ABSTRACT

Osmoregulation was examined in members of the Enterobacteriaceae. Exogenous glycine betaine at a concentration as low as 1 mM was found to stimulate the growth rate of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Klebsiella pneumoniae in media of inhibitory osmotic strength. The stimulation was shown to be independent of any specific solutes, electrolytes, or nonelectrolytes. Therefore, the stimulatory effect of glycine betaine was a consequence of high osmotic potential. This effect was found to be far greater than the proline effect previously observed in S. typhimurium. Whereas nitrogen fixation by K. pneumoniae is completely inhibited under conditions of osmotic stress, nitrogenase activity could be partially restored by the addition of exogenous glycine betaine to the culture medium. Furthermore, glycine betaine in combination with proline, especially proline produced internally at a high level because of regulatory mutations affecting proline biosynthesis, strongly stimulated nitrogen fixation activity during osmotic stress. Glycine betaine was accumulated by the cells, and the amount taken up was correlated with the osmolarity of the medium. These findings are discussed in relation to the possible mechanisms by which glycine betaine might cause enhanced osmotolerance.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Flannagan, R. S., Valvano, M. A. (2008). Burkholderia cenocepacia requires RpoE for growth under stress conditions and delay of phagolysosomal fusion in macrophages. Microbiology 154: 643-653 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Trinchant, J.-C., Boscari, A., Spennato, G., Van de Sype, G., Le Rudulier, D. (2004). Proline Betaine Accumulation and Metabolism in Alfalfa Plants under Sodium Chloride Stress. Exploring Its Compartmentalization in Nodules. Plant Physiol. 135: 1583-1594 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Glaasker, E., Tjan, F. S. B., Ter Steeg, P. F., Konings, W. N., Poolman, B. (1998). Physiological Response of Lactobacillus plantarum to Salt and Nonelectrolyte Stress. J. Bacteriol. 180: 4718-4723 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sheveleva, E. V., Marquez, S., Chmara, W., Zegeer, A., Jensen, R. G., Bohnert, H. J. (1998). Sorbitol-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Expression in Transgenic Tobacco . High Amounts of Sorbitol Lead to Necrotic Lesions. Plant Physiol. 117: 831-839 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kiene, R. P. (1998). Uptake of Choline and Its Conversion to Glycine Betaine by Bacteria in Estuarine Waters. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 1045-1051 [Abstract] [Full Text]