title: The general stress response in Alphaproteobacteria.
abstract: The general stress response (GSR) is a widely conserved response that allows bacteria to cope with a multitude of stressful conditions. In the past years the PhyR-NepR-σ(EcfG) cascade was identified as the core pathway regulating the GSR in Alphaproteobacteria, in which it also plays an important role in bacteria-host interactions. The regulatory system is composed of the extracytoplasmic function sigma factor σ(EcfG), its anti-sigma factor NepR (for negative regulator of the PhyR response), and the anti-sigma factor antagonist PhyR (phyllosphere regulator). The three proteins function via a partner-switching mechanism that is triggered by PhyR phosphorylation, termed 'sigma factor mimicry'. This review will cover core features of the pathway, its physiological role, and summarize recent advances towards understanding of the partner-switching mechanism and of the two-component signaling pathways controlling the GSR.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Francez-Charlot
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaczmarczyk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hans-Martin
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: vorholt@micro.biol.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vorholt
mesh_terms: D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D010641:Phenotype; D018085:Regulon; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor
keywords: Alphaproteobacteria; ECF sigma factor; general stress response; histidine kinase; response regulator; two-component system