Stress response by solute accumulation in archaea

The accumulation of organic solutes is a prerequisite for osmotic adjustment of all organisms. Archaea synthesize unusual solutes such as β-amino acids, Nɛ-acetyl-β-lysine, mannosylglycerate and di-myo-inositol phosphate but, as in other cells, uptake of solutes such as glycine betaine is preferred over de novo synthesis. Study of the molecular basis of osmoadaptation and its regulation in archaea is still in its infancy, but genomics and functional genome analyses combined with classical biochemistry shed light on the processes that confer osmoadaptation in archaea. Most interestingly, some solutes are not only produced in response to salt but also to temperature stress.