Figure 1

Effect of elevated salt concentrations on the growth of S. cerevisiae. Growth in response to 5 press perturbations of NaCl addition to the growth medium resulting in the final NaCl concentrations indicated. S. cerevisiae displayed the typical behavior to NaCl addition, mainly an arrest in growth at or shortly after the onset of the perturbation followed by a period of adjustment, and then a resumption of growth at a lower rate. The lag period following addition of NaCl to a concentration of 0.5 M was barely detectable, while at the 1.2 M NaCl perturbation resumption of growth was barely noticeable, which suggested at this perturbation magnitude the cell culture had been significantly impacted by the effects of osmotic shock and NaCl toxicity.