title: Altered stationary-phase response in a Borrelia burgdorferi rpoS mutant.
abstract: The homolog of the chromosomally encoded stationary-phase sigma factor RpoS in Borrelia burgdorferi was inactivated using gyrB(r) as a selectable marker. Two-dimensional nonequilibrium pH gradient electrophoresis of stationary-phase cell lysates identified at least 11 differences between the protein profiles of the rpoS mutant and wild-type organisms. Wild-type B. burgdorferi had a growth phase-dependent resistance to 1 N NaCl, similar to the stationary-phase response reported for other bacteria. The B. burgdorferi rpoS mutant strain was less resistant to osmotic stress in stationary phase than the isogenic rpoS wild-type organism. The results indicate that the B. burgdorferi rpoS homolog influences protein composition and participates in stationary-phase-dependent osmotic resistance. This rpoS mutant will be useful for studying regulation of gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840, USA. aelias@niaid.nih.gov
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bono
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tilly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosa
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009995:Osmosis; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; C069567:sigma factor KatF protein, Bacteria; D012965:Sodium Chloride