Abstract
A total of 15 rhizobial strains representing Rhizobium meliloti, Rhizobium japonicum, Rhizobium trifolii, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rhizobium sp. (Sesbania rostrata) and Rhizobium sp. (Hedysarum coronarium), were studied with regard to growth rate under salt stress in defined liquid media. In the presence of inhibitory concentrations of NaCl, enhancement of growth resulting from added glycine betaine was observed for R. meliloti strains and Rhizobium sp. (Hedysarum coronarium) but not for other Rhizobium species. The concentration of glycine betaine required for maximal growth stimulation was very low (1 mM) in comparison with the osmolarity of the medium. The stimulation was shown to be independent of any specific solutes. Other related compounds like proline betaine, carnitine, choline, γ-butyrobetaine and pipecolate betaine were also effective compounds in restoring the growth rate of cells grown in medium of elevated osmolarity. High rate of glycine betaine uptake was demonstrated in R. meliloti cells grown in media of increased osmotic strength. The intracellular concentration of this solute was found to be 308 mM in 0.3 M NaCl-grown cells and 17 times lower in minimal medium-grown cells. Glycine betaine was used for growth under conditions of low osmolarity but could not serve as sole carbon or nitrogen source in medium of increased osmotic strength. Experiments with [14C]glycine betaine showed that this molecule was not metabolized by cells subjected to osmotic stress, whereas it was rapidly converted to dimethylglycine, sarcosine and glycine in minimal medium-grown cells.
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Abbreviations
- LAS:
-
lactate-aspartate-salts
- LGS:
-
lactate-glutamate-salts
- LS:
-
lactate-succinate
- MSY:
-
mannitol-salts-yeast
- YLS:
-
yeast-lactate-succinate
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Bernard, T., Pocard, JA., Perround, B. et al. Variations in the response of salt-stressed Rhizobium strains to betaines. Arch. Microbiol. 143, 359–364 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00412803
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00412803