Abstract.Changes in gene expression induced by salinity were investigated in a suspension culture of the tropical, graminaceous plant sugarcane (Sacchammspp.). Three cell lines tolerant to 5, 10 and 15kg m−3NaCl were adapted and the expression of newly synthesized proteins and translatable mRNAs in these cell lines were compared with those in unadapted cells on high‐resolution, two‐dimensional gels. Specific proteins and mRNAs altered by salinity were identified. At the protein level, the expression of 15 proteins was induced or enhanced, and that of three others was repressed or abolished. At the translatable mRNA level, the expression of 18 mRNAs was induced or enhanced, and that of eight others was repressed or abolished. The expression of some of these was also regulated, depending on the salt‐adapted cell line. The above changes were characteristic of salt‐adapted cells and were not found in unadapted cells undergoing a short‐term salt stress. Overall, 29 sugarcane proteins were regulated by salinity: for 15, translatable mRNAs were found; for three, no translatable mRNA was detected; and for six of the remaining 11,in vivoequivalents were not observed. These data suggest that a multitude of mechanisms at the transcriptional, post‐transcriptional and post‐translational levels may contribute to the control of gene expression in the sail‐adapte