Lack of polyamines leads to cotranslational degradation of the general stress factor RpoS in Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: The specialized sigma factor RpoS mediates a general stress response in Escherichia coli and related bacteria, activating promoters that allow cells to survive stationary phase and many stresses. RpoS synthesis and stability are regulated at multiple levels. Translation of RpoS is positively regulated by multiple small RNAs in response to stress. Degradation of RpoS, dependent upon the adaptor protein RssB, is rapid during exponential growth and ceases upon starvation or other stresses, increasing accumulation of RpoS. E. coli carrying mutations that block the synthesis of polyamines were previously found to have low levels of RpoS, while levels increased rapidly when polyamines were added. We have used a series of reporters to examine the basis for the lack of RpoS in polyamine-deficient

SUBMITTER: Majdalani N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10372455 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature