title: Osmoprotective activity, urea protection, and accumulation of hydrophilic betaines in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: The hydrophilic betaines, deanol betaine, triethanol betaine, diethanolthetin and methylethanolthetin, and also thioxanium betaine and citrulline betaine, were accumulated by Escherichia coli. All betaines tested had significant osmoprotective activity for E. coli and, with the exception of citrulline betaine and diethanolthetin, also demonstrated urea protection. Staphylococcus aureus accumulated only methylethanolthetin, deanol betaine and thioxanium betaine: the first two had an osmoprotective effect but conferred no urea protection. Diethanolthetin and thioxanium betaine significantly decreased urea tolerance for S. aureus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Peddie
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lever
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D001622:Betaine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001622:Betaine; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D014508:Urea