1887

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Volume 154, Issue 9

The alternative sigma factor SigF of is required for survival of heat shock, acidic pH and oxidative stress Free

Abstract

The alternative sigma factor SigF of has been characterized in detail as a general-stress, stationary-phase sigma factor involved in the virulence of the bacterium. While a homologous gene has been annotated in the genome of the fast-growing , little experimental evidence is available on the function of this gene. Here, we demonstrate that SigF of is required for resistance to hydrogen peroxide, heat shock and acidic pH, but not for survival in human neutrophils. No difference in sensitivity to isoniazid was observed between the wild-type strain and the Δ mutant, suggesting that SigF-mediated resistance to hydrogen peroxide was via a pathway independent of KatG or AhpC. RT-PCR and 5′-RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) analyses showed that of was co-transcribed with (thought to encode an anti-sigma factor for SigF) and MSMEG_1802 (unknown function) and was expressed from two promoters, one upstream of MSMEG_1802 and the second upstream of . Analysis of transcriptional fusion constructs in the -deletion background revealed that the MSMEG_1802 promoter was dependent on SigF for expression. Moreover, MSMEG_1802 was induced twofold upon entry into stationary phase, while exposure of exponentially growing cultures to various stress conditions (e.g. heat, cold, ethanol, hydrogen peroxide or different pH values) did not lead to induction of MSMEG_1802. Expression of was independent of SigF and remained constant throughout the growth cycle and under various stress conditions unless the bacteria were challenged with -cycloserine.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
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  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): RACE, rapid amplification of cDNA ends and TSS, transcriptional start site
SGM
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2008-09-01
2024-04-25
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The alternative sigma factor SigF of Mycobacterium smegmatis is required for survival of heat shock, acidic pH and oxidative stress
Microbiology 154, 2786 (2008); https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.2008/018044-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.2008/018044-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.2008/018044-0
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