Kanthi Kiran Kondepudi and Chandra.T.S
Compatible solute accumulation by a newly isolated moderately halophilic and alkali-tolerant bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain TSCVKK, was studied when grown with 3.5, 5, 10 and 15% NaCl at 30°C. The organism showed optimum growth with 10% NaCl and failed to grow in a medium deprived of NaCl. The total ethanolic solute content extracted was high at 10 and 15% NaCl compared to 3.5 and 5% NaCl. Results of spectroscopic studies by 1H and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Electron spin ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-Mass spec) showed that ectoine and betaine are the dominant solutes accumulated as a function of osmoadaptation and showed a switch in osmolyte accumulation with betaine accumulated in high proportion with low NaCl and ectoine at high concentration of NaCl.
