title: Diversity, distribution and roles of osmoprotective compounds accumulated in halophytes under abiotic stress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Osmolytes are low-molecular-weight organic solutes, a broad group that encompasses a variety of compounds such as amino acids, tertiary sulphonium and quaternary ammonium compounds, sugars and polyhydric alcohols. Osmolytes are accumulated in the cytoplasm of halophytic species in order to balance the osmotic potential of the Na(+) and Cl(-) accumulated in the vacuole. The advantages of the accumulation of osmolytes are that they keep the main physiological functions of the cell active, the induction of their biosynthesis is controlled by environmental cues, and they can be synthesized at all developmental stages. In addition to their role in osmoregulation, osmolytes have crucial functions in protecting subcellular structures and in scavenging reactive oxygen species.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review discusses the diversity of osmolytes among halophytes and their distribution within taxonomic groups, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence their accumulation, and their role in osmoregulation and osmoprotection. Increasing the osmolyte content in plants is an interesting strategy to improve the growth and yield of crops upon exposure to salinity. Examples of transgenic plants as well as exogenous applications of some osmolytes are also discussed. Finally, the potential use of osmolytes in protein stabilization and solvation in biotechnology, including the pharmaceutical industry and medicine, are considered.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Plantes Extremophiles, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj-Cedria (CBBC), BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia, UMR 1349 IGEPP, INRA/Agrocampus Ouest/Université de Rennes 1, Domaine de la Motte, BP 35327, 35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QG, UK and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Adaptation de Plantes aux Contraintes Environnementales, URF5, Case 156, 4 place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Slama
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Plantes Extremophiles, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj-Cedria (CBBC), BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia, UMR 1349 IGEPP, INRA/Agrocampus Ouest/Université de Rennes 1, Domaine de la Motte, BP 35327, 35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QG, UK and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Adaptation de Plantes aux Contraintes Environnementales, URF5, Case 156, 4 place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Chedly
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abdelly
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Plantes Extremophiles, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj-Cedria (CBBC), BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia, UMR 1349 IGEPP, INRA/Agrocampus Ouest/Université de Rennes 1, Domaine de la Motte, BP 35327, 35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QG, UK and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Adaptation de Plantes aux Contraintes Environnementales, URF5, Case 156, 4 place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouchereau
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Plantes Extremophiles, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj-Cedria (CBBC), BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia, UMR 1349 IGEPP, INRA/Agrocampus Ouest/Université de Rennes 1, Domaine de la Motte, BP 35327, 35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QG, UK and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Adaptation de Plantes aux Contraintes Environnementales, URF5, Case 156, 4 place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flowers
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Plantes Extremophiles, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj-Cedria (CBBC), BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia, UMR 1349 IGEPP, INRA/Agrocampus Ouest/Université de Rennes 1, Domaine de la Motte, BP 35327, 35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QG, UK and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Adaptation de Plantes aux Contraintes Environnementales, URF5, Case 156, 4 place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France arnould.savoure@upmc.fr.
authors.forename: Arnould
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Savouré
mesh_terms: D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D009995:Osmosis; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D055051:Salt-Tolerant Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012965:Sodium Chloride
keywords: Abiotic stress; genetic engineering; halophytes; osmolytes; osmoprotection; osmoregulation; osmotic adjustment; salinity stress; salt tolerance