ABSTRACT
Cyanobacteria are pioneering and ubiquitous oxygenic phototrophs with diverse habitats on the planet. Existing in different morphologies ranging from the unicellular to the lamentous, cyanobacteria perform different modes of metabolism, easily switching from one mode to another [1,2]. For example, under adverse environmental conditions, such as a hypersaline (i.e., condition in which the salinity of the water is above 35 g L−1) environment, cyanobacteria employ a variety of mechanisms to maintain and adjust their internal osmotic status. One such mechanism is the exclusion of sodium (Na+) ions from cells to maintain ion homeostasis [3-5]. Another mechanism is the ability to accumulate low-molecular-weight organic-compatible solutes [6-8]. In addition, strategies for cyanobacteria to survive during acclimation to osmotic stress also involve the synthesis of
10.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................203 10.2 Regulation of Ion Homeostasis .............................................................................................204
