Gene expression during stationary phase and symbiosis of R. etli CFN42 was compared to that of exponentially growing cells. This allowed us to better understand how R. etli adapts to a non-growing lifestyle, both the free-living and symbiotic state, as well as to determine to what extent this adaptation is similar in both states. Overall design: R. etli CFN42 was grown at 30˚C in AMS medium supplied with 10 mM NH4Cl and 10 mM succinate while monitoring the optical density (OD) of the culture. Free-living samples were taken at OD600 = 0.3 and 6 hours after reaching the maximum OD, representing early exponential and stationary phase respectively. Bacteroid samples were obtained from nodules 3 weeks after inoculation of Common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris cv Limburgse vroege).