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Organic vs inorganic
Citation
Shabala, L, Organic vs inorganic, Communicative & Integrative Biology, 2, (2) pp. 1-2. ISSN 1942-0889 (2009) [Contribution to Refereed Journal]
Abstract
In order to survive hyperosmotic stress bacteria should adjust
their cell turgor to altered conditions by increasing the intracellular
osmolality. The classical view is that bacterial osmotic adjustment
is achieved via accumulation of so-called "compatible solutes"—
some organic osmolytes that can be accumulated in the cytosol at
high concentrations without interfering with cell metabolism. In
our recently published paper,11 we have shown that in the absence
of osmolytes in the environment uptake of inorganic ions (and,
specifically, K+) is central to osmotic adjustment in E. coli under
hyperosmotic stress conditions. Here we show that optimal E. coli
growth, observed at 2% NaCl, corresponds to an osmotic balance
between external and internal osmolality within bacterial cells.
This is achieved by the regulation of net K+ fluxes across the bacterial
membrane. We suggest that the role of compatible solutes in
osmotic adjustment in bacteria is indirect and confined to the fine
tuning of a number of ion channels and transporters in order to
achieve osmotic balance.
Item Details
Item Type: | Contribution to Refereed Journal |
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Keywords: | E. coli, osmotic adjustment, balanced growth, sucrose, NaCl, K+ transport |
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Microbiology |
Research Field: | Microbial ecology |
Objective Division: | Health |
Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
Objective Field: | Food safety |
UTAS Author: | Shabala, L (Associate Professor Lana Shabala) |
ID Code: | 60114 |
Year Published: | 2009 |
Deposited By: | Menzies Institute for Medical Research |
Deposited On: | 2010-01-13 |
Last Modified: | 2010-06-09 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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