title: Solvent tolerance in Gram-negative bacteria.
abstract: Bacteria have been found in all niches explored on Earth, their ubiquity derives from their enormous metabolic diversity and their capacity to adapt to changes in the environment. Some bacterial strains are able to thrive in the presence of high concentrations of toxic organic chemicals, such as aromatic compounds, aliphatic alcohols and solvents. The extrusion of these toxic compounds from the cell to the external medium represents the most relevant aspect in the solvent tolerance of bacteria, however, solvent tolerance is a multifactorial process that involves a wide range of genetic and physiological changes to overcome solvent damage. These additional elements include reduced membrane permeabilization, implementation of a stress response programme, and in some cases degradation of the toxic compound. We discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms involved in solvent tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Department of Environmental Protection, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.forename: Lázaro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fillet
authors.forename: Tino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krell
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernal
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Rojas
authors.forename: Juan-Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ramos
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D016623:Ion Pumps / Q000378:metabolism; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012997:Solvents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D016623:Ion Pumps; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012997:Solvents