Effect of NaCl-induced osmotic stress on intracellular concentrations of glycine betaine and potassium in Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and staphylococci.

Staphylococci are more salt tolerant than are enterococci or Escherichia coli. They have a more rigid cell wall and higher internal turgor pressure. The mechanisms of NaCl-induced osmotic tolerance among these bacteria were examined by determining the generation of osmoprotective activity of cellular extracts and intracellular concentrations of glycine betaine and potassium (K+) in response to graded amounts of NaCl. Staphylococci as well as E. coli were shown to require choline or glycine betaine to achieve maximal salt tolerance. In response to 0.9 mol/L NaCl, E. coli exhibited a marked increase in osmoprotective activity, a 168-fold rise in glycine betaine, and a 2.3-fold rise in K+. Enterococcus faealis exhibited a small increase in osmoprotective activity, a 9.3-fold increase in glycine betaine, and a twofold increase in K+. In contrast, strains of Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and S. saprophyticus were found to have considerably greater osmoprotective activity, glycine betaine, and K+ than other organisms, even in the absence of external osmotic stress. Glycine betaine rose in some strains, but K+ remained virtually unchanged as the concentration of NaCl was increased. The high concentrations of glycine betaine and K+ in staphylococci, even in the absence of osmotic stress, may explain in part their remarkable salt tolerance and high turgor pressure.