Osmoadaptation mechanisms in prokaryotes: distribution of compatible solutes Authors Nuno Empadinhas Department of Biochemistry and Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Milton da Costa Department of Biochemistry and Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Abstract Microorganisms respond to osmotic stress mostly by accumulating compatible solutes, either by uptake from the medium or by de novo synthesis. These osmotically activ molecules preserve the positive turgor pressure required for cell division. The diversity of compatible solutes is large but falls into a few major chemical categories; they are usually small organic molecules such as amino acids or their derivatives, and carbohydrates and their derivatives. Some are widely distributed in nature while others seem to be exclusively present in specific groups of organisms. This review discusses the diversity and distribution of known classes of compatible solutes found in prokaryotes as well as the increasing knowledge of the genes and pathways involved in their synthesis. The alternative roles of some archetypal compatible solutes not subject to osmoregulatory constraints are also discussed. Downloads PDF Published 2008-12-04 Issue Vol. 11 No. 3 (2008) Section Review Articles License Submission of a manuscript to International Microbiology implies: that the work described has not been published before, including publication in the World Wide Web (except in the form of an Abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, or thesis); that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; that all the coauthors have agreed to its publication. The corresponding author signs for and accepts responsability for releasing this material and will act on behalf of any and all coauthors regarding the editorial review and publication process.If an article is accepted for publication in International Microbiology, the authors (or other copyright holder) must transfer to the journal the right–not exclusive–to reproduce and distribute the article including reprints, translations, photographic reproductions, microform, electronic form (offline, online) or any other reproductions of similar nature. Nevertheless, all article in International Microbiology will be available on the Internet to any reader at no cost. The journal allows users to freely download, copy, print, distribute, search, and link to the full text of any article, provided the authorship and source of the published article is cited. The copyright owner's consent does not include copying for new works, or resale. In these cases, the specific written permission of International Microbiology must first be obtained.Authors are requested to create a link to the published article on the journal's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The original publication is available on LINK at <http://www.im.microbios.org>. Please use the appropiate URL for the article in LINK. Articles disseminated via LINK are indexed, abstracted, and referenced by many abstracting and information services, bibliographic networks, subscription agencies, library networks, and consortia.
