Table 1 Halotolerant or halophilic microorganisms that can transport betaine or ectoinse from the medium.

Acinetobacter sp. F-2-12

in 20% NaCl, cells accumulate 1.26 M betaine and 0.36 M glutamate

Actinopolyspora halophila

cells can synthesize it de novo (oxidation of choline) as well as transport it from the medium

Alcaligenes sp. F-5-7

~1 M betaine when cells grown in complex medium in 20% NaCl

Alteromonas sp. A-387

Chromohalobacter israelensis

betaine in the medium suppresses ectoine biosynthesis

Chromobacterium marismortui A-65

in 20% NaCl, cells accumulate 0.5 M betaine and 0.10 M glutamate

Corynebacterium glutamicum

has genes for four uptake systems including high affinity BetP and a low capacity osmoregulated permease

Desulfovibrio halophilus

1 mM external betaine suppresses sucrose synthesis

Listeria monocytogenes

halotolerant organism also accumulates acetylcarnitine, carnitine, γ-butyrobetaine and 3-dimethylsulfoniopropionate

Marinococcus halophilus

BCCT family transporter BetM

Methanohalophilus portucalensis FDF1

accumulation of external betaine suppresses synthesis of osmolytes; bta gene responsible for ABC transporter activated by heat and salt stress

Methanosarcina mazei Gö1

ota gene responds to salt shock

Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1

High affinity ABC transporter

Nesterenkonia halobia CCM 2591

in 20% NaCl, betaine is 1.10 M while glutamate is 0.05 M

Pseudomonas sp. F-12-1

Tetragenococcus halophilus

single component transporter (ButA) that is a member of BCCT family; specific for betaine

Salinivibrio costicola A-514

Ectoine:

Halomonas elongata

transporter similar to tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporter family (TRAP-T)

Marinococcus halophilus

role likely to be recovery of leaked ectoine

Sinorhizobium meliloti

ABC ectoine transporter identified