title: Dealing with salinity extremes and nitrogen limitation - an unexpected strategy of the marine bacterium Dinoroseobacter shibae.
abstract: Having the right coping strategy for changes in osmolarity or desiccation is essential for the survival of every cell. So far, nothing is known about compatible solutes and the salt adaptation of the marine Rhodobacteraceae. The family member Dinoroseobacter shibae DFL12Tis shown here to form the compatible solutes α-glucosylglycerol (GG) and α-glucosylglycerate (GGA). To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence for GGA formation within the α-proteobacteria. Together with glutamate and putrescine, these substances enable good growth in salinity ranging from 0.3% to 5%. A salinity of 5% leads to a biomass share of 7.6% of compatible solutes and the very low salt level of 0.3% results in an 18-fold increased putrescine concentration compared with environmental conditions. Additionally, the substitution of glutamate by GGA has been shown during exposure to nitrogen limitation and in the stationary growth phase of the organism. Salt shock transcriptome analysis of D. shibae has revealed the essential role of its 153 kb chromid, which carries the genes for GG biosynthesis and several transport and exchange systems. Within the family of Rhodobacteraceae, the genomic capability of forming GG and GGA is strictly restricted to marine family members.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19 b, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kleist
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19 b, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulbrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19 b, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Nelli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bill
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19 b, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Hohagen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-38124, Braunschweig.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Geffers
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19 b, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schomburg
mesh_terms: D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D041902:Rhodobacteraceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054712:Salinity; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride; D009584:Nitrogen