REGULATION OF CELL-VOLUME IN THE SALT-TOLERANT BACTERIUM HALOMONAS-ELONGATA

The cell volume of Halomonas elongata was determined at different salt concentrations in cells adapted to these salinities for many generations. There is an inverse relationship between cell volume and salinity. In contrast, the initial response to salinity changes was to adapt the cell composition to return to the pre-shock volume. Therefore, long- and short-term response to salinity change is different in this salt tolerant bacterium. The cell volume was recovered more quickly after a salinity increase from 0.35 to 1.37 mol l(-1) NaCl (6 h) than after a salinity decrease from 1.37 to 0.35 mol l(-1) NaCl (between 8 and 24 h).