Genome-wide transcriptional responses of Escherichia coli K-12 to continuous osmotic and heat stresses.

ABSTRACT: Osmotic stress is known to increase the thermotolerance and oxidative-stress resistance of bacteria by a mechanism that is not adequately understood. We probed the cross-regulation of continuous osmotic and heat stress responses by characterizing the effects of external osmolarity (0.3 M versus 0.0 M NaCl) and temperature (43 degrees C versus 30 degrees C) on the transcriptome of Escherichia coli K-12. Our most important discovery was that a number of genes in the SoxRS and OxyR oxidative-stress regulons were up-regulated by high osmolarity, high temperature, or a combination of both stresses. This result can explain the previously noted cross-protection of osmotic stress against oxidative and heat stresses. Most of the genes shown in previous studies to be induced during the early phase o

SUBMITTER: Gunasekera TS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2395010 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature