Trehalose synthesis genes are controlled by the putative sigma factor encoded by rpoS and are involved in stationary-phase thermotolerance in Escherichia coli.
The rpoS (katF) gene of Escherichia coli encodes a putative sigma factor (sigma S) required for the expression of a variety of stationary phase-induced genes, for the development of stationary-phase stress resistance, and for long-term starvation survival (R. Lange and R. Hengge-Aronis, Mol. Microbiol. 5:49-59, 1991). Here we show that the genes otsA, otsB, treA, and osmB, previously known to be osmotically regulated, are also induced during transition into stationary phase in a sigma S-dependent manner. otsA and otsB, which encode trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase, respectively, are involved in sigma S-dependent stationary-phase thermotolerance. Neither sigma S nor trehalose, however, is required for the development of adaptive thermotolerance in growing cells, which might be controlled by sigma E.
Hengge-Aronis
R
R
Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany.
Klein
W
W
Lange
R
R
Rimmele
M
M
Boos
W
W
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007700:Kinetics; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D014199:Trehalose / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; C069567:sigma factor KatF protein, Bacteria; D014199:Trehalose