title: A reassessment of the function of the so-called compatible solutes in the halophytic plumbaginaceae Limonium latifolium.
abstract: The compatible solute hypothesis posits that maintaining osmotic equilibrium under conditions of high salinity requires synthesis of organic compounds, uptake of potassium ions, and partial exclusion of NaCl. To assess whether osmotic adaptation in Limonium latifolium proceeds according to this hypothesis, a comprehensive analysis of solute accumulation during NaCl treatments was conducted. Determination of prevailing inorganic ions and establishment of the metabolic profiles for low M(r) organic substances revealed that contrary to the mentioned hypothesis the major contributors to osmolarity were constituted by inorganic solutes. Independent of salinity, only 25% of this osmolarity resulted from organic solutes such as Suc and hexoses. Proline (Pro), beta-alanine betaine, and choline-O-sulfate were minor contributors to osmolarity. Compatible inositols also occurred, especially chiro-inositol, characterized for the first time in this species, to our knowledge. Principal component analysis showed that only a limited number of metabolic reconfigurations occurred in response to dynamic changes in salinity. Under such conditions only sugars, chiro-inositol, and Pro behave as active osmobalancers. Analysis of metabolic profiles during acclimatization to either mild salinity or nonsaline conditions showed that organic solute accumulation is predominantly controlled by constitutive developmental programs, some of which might be slightly modulated by salinity. Osmolarity provided under such conditions can be sufficient to maintain turgor in salinized seedlings. Compartmental analysis of Pro and beta-alanine betaine in leaf tissues demonstrated that these solutes, mainly located in vacuoles under nonsaline conditions, could be partly directed to the cytosol in response to salinization. Thus they did not conform with the predictions of the compatible solute hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Recherche 6026 Interactions Cellulaires et Moléculaires and Unité Mixte de Recherche 6553 Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution , Université de Rennes 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes Cedex, France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gagneul
authors.forename: Abdelkader
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aïnouche
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duhazé
authors.forename: Raphaël
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lugan
authors.forename: François Robert
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Larher
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouchereau
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010641:Phenotype; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000378:metabolism; D029606:Plumbaginaceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C434265:beta-alanine betaine; D015091:beta-Alanine; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D007294:Inositol; D013395:Sucrose; D011392:Proline