Consistent with this role, visual and microscopic inspection showed small cell aggregates in control cultures and after long-term perturbation with sodium chloride but not after long-term perturbation with PEG8000 (data not shown). Table 4 Select genes whose expression levels responded to long-term see more (24 hr) perturbation with PEG8000 (FDR < 0.05, fold-difference > 2). Gene ID Gene Product PEG8000 expression fold-change Regulation type Swit_0212 flagellin-specific chaperone FliS-like protein 3.9 down Swit_0213 flagellar hook-associated 2 domain-containing protein 3.3 down Swit_0565 type IV pilus assembly PilZ 2.5 down Swit_0615 Flp/Fap pilin component 2.4 down Swit_0616 Flp/Fap pilin component

4.9 down Swit_1260 flagellar motor protein MotA 2.7 down Swit_1261 flagellin domain-containing protein 2.4 down Swit_1262 flagellar hook-associated protein FlgK 2.9 down Swit_1264 flagellar basal body P-ring protein 3.1 down Swit_1266 flagellar basal body rod protein FlgG 2.4 down Swit_1268 flagellar basal body FlaE domain-containing protein

2.3 down Swit_1269 flagellar hook capping protein 2.1 down Swit_1270 flagellar basal-body Selleckchem Emricasan rod protein FlgC 3.3 down Swit_1271 flagellar basal-body rod protein FlgB 2.3 down Swit_1275 putative anti-sigma-28 factor, FlgM 3.0 down Swit_1281 RNA polymerase, sigma 28 subunit, FliA/WhiG 2.3 down Swit_1283 flagellin domain-containing protein 3.3 down Swit_1284 flagellin domain-containing protein 2.6 down Swit_1286 flagellar hook-basal body complex subunit FliE 4.4 down Swit_1287 flagellar M-ring protein FliF 2.9 down Swit_1293 flagellar basal body-associated protein FliL 3.8 down Swit_1458

flagellar motor switch protein FliM 3.3 down Sodium chloride and PEG8000 have opposite effects on the degree of saturation of membrane fatty acids FAME FER analyses were used to further investigate the responses to perturbation with sodium chloride or PEG8000 and to confirm that the applied perturbation levels led to physiological DNA Synthesis inhibitor outputs. Short-term and long-term perturbation with sodium chloride significantly increased the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids when compared to the control (p-values < 0.05) (Figure 4). In contrast, short-term perturbation with PEG8000 had no significant effect on the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids (p-value > 0.05) while long-term perturbation with PEG8000 significantly decreased the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids (p-value < 0.05) (Figure 4). Thus, long-term perturbation with sodium chloride or PEG8000 had opposite effects on the degree of saturation of membrane fatty acids in strain RW1. These results were unexpected given that an increase in the degree of saturation of membrane fatty acids reduces the fluidity and permeability of the cell membrane and slows the rate of water loss in low water potential environments [49, 50].