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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2003, p. 7032-7034, Vol. 69, No. 12
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.12.7032-7034.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Compatible Solutes Protect against Chaotrope (Ethanol)-Induced, Nonosmotic Water Stress

John E. Hallsworth,1,2* Bernard A. Prior,3 Yoshiyuki Nomura,1 Masayoshi Iwahara,1 and Kenneth N. Timmis2

Department of Applied Microbial Technology, Sojo University, Kumamoto City, Japan,1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom,2 Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, South Africa2

Received 19 February 2003/ Accepted 11 September 2003

Water stress is one of the major stresses experienced by cellular systems and can take a number of distinct forms. In response to turgor-related osmotic stress, cells produce compatible solutes that are macromolecule protectants and also counteract the outflow of water from stressed cells. In this report we show that the germination of conidia of Aspergillus nidulans, a sensitive indicator of water stress, in the presence of ethanol is correlated with the intracellular concentration of the compatible solutes glycerol and erythritol, which protect against both osmotic and nonturgor forms of water stress.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom. Phone: 44-1206 872535. Fax: 44-1206 872592. E-mail: jehalls{at}essex.ac.uk.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2003, p. 7032-7034, Vol. 69, No. 12
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.12.7032-7034.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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