Effect of sodium chloride on the intracellular solute pools of Listeria monocytogenes.

The concentrations of intracellular solutes in Listeria monocytogenes were examined in cells grown at various concentrations of NaCl. At 5% NaCl, cells contained elevated concentrations of potassium and glycine betaine compared with concentrations in cells grown without NaCl. At 7.5% NaCl, cells contained increased concentrations of K+, glycine betaine, glycine, alanine, and proline. Only glycine betaine, choline, or glycine promoted growth on a solidified defined medium containing 4% NaCl; there was no growth at higher concentrations of NaCl in the defined medium.