Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02465, USA. mary.roberts@bc.edu
Microorganisms that adapt to moderate and high salt environments use a variety of solutes, organic and inorganic, to counter external osmotic pressure. The organic solutes can be zwitterionic, noncharged, or anionic (along with an inorganic cation such as K(+)). The range of solutes, their diverse biosynthetic pathways, and physical properties of the solutes that effect molecular stability are reviewed.