Bacterial osmoadaptation involves the cytoplasmic accumulation of compatible solutes to
counteract extracellular osmolarity. The halophilic and highly halotolerant bacterium
Chromohalobacter salexigens is able to grow up to 3 m NaCl in a minimal medium due to
the de novo synthesis of ectoines. This is an osmoregulated pathway that burdens central
metabolic routes by quantitatively drawing off TCA cycle intermediaries. Consequently,
metabolism in C. salexigens has adapted to support this biosynthetic route. Metabolism of C …