The effect of UV-B radiation on growth and polyamines content of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 subjected to either NaCl or sorbitol stress was investigated. Cells could not grow in the presence of 350 mM NaCl or 500 mM sorbitol under normal white light. However, cells grown in BG11 under osmotic stress imposed by NaCl or sorbitol followed by ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation for 2 h showed higher cell density than those under the same condition but no osmotic stress. The chlorophyll fluorescence parameter (F (v)/F (m)) also showed an apparent decrease upon UV-B irradiation. Intracellular polyamines increased by about 2- and 4-fold in NaCl- and sorbitol-stressed cells, respectively. When these cells were irradiated with UV-B for 1 h, a further 3-fold increase in polyamines content was detected in NaCl-stressed but not sorbitol-stressed cells. Synechocystis cells contained adc1 and adc2 genes encoding arginine decarboxylase (ADC) with only adc1 showing upregulation by NaCl or sorbitol stress. NaCl- or sorbitol-stressed cells contained about 5-fold higher level of adc1 transcript than did the unstressed cells after 1-h irradiation with UV-B, suggesting the protection of adc1 transcript by accumulated polyamines, due to NaCl or sorbitol stress, against UV-B radiation damage. ADC levels as analyzed by Western blot showed upregulation by UV-B in NaCl-stressed but not sorbitol-stressed cells.