Envelope Stress

• Published in: Bacterial Stress Responses pp. 115 - 131
• Main Authors: Hayden, Jennifer D, Laubacher, Mary E, Ades, Sarah E
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United States ASM Press 2011; American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
• Edition: 2nd Edition
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Biochemistry, Biology & Biotechnology; Biology & Microbiology; cell envelope stress response; extracytoplasmic function; gram‐negative bacteria; gram‐positive bacteria; lipopolysaccharide; Microbial Genetics and Molecular Biology; proton motive force
• ISBN: 1555816215; 9781555816216
• DOI: 10.1128/9781555816841.ch8

This chapter focuses on envelope stress responses of gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria. To date, five major cell envelope stress responses have been identified in Escherichia coli: the s E , Cpx, Rcs, phage‐shock protein (Psp), and Bae responses. Many of stress responses in gram‐positive bacteria fall into two major categories: those that are activated by directly binding the antibiotic and those that are induced by a signal generated by antibiotic action. In general, responses in the first class have small regulon encoding genes that detoxify the antibiotic by pumping it out of the cell or modifying it. This review focuses on the second class because they can be clearly defined as envelope stress responses, sensing defects in the envelope and regulating genes that alter envelope physiology to enhance survival. Even though the Bacillus subtilis LiaRS system is induced by many envelope stresses, liaRS mutants are not more susceptible to inducing stresses. σ E of S. coelicolor, one of the founding members of the extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factor family, is one of approximately 50 putative ECF σ factors in the bacterium. Cell envelope stress responses are widespread throughout the bacterial world, but have been investigated most intensively in B. subtilis, E. coli, and their close relatives. The regulatory interactions among the key players in the response; that is, the σ/anti‐σ factor and sensor kinase/response regulator pairs are highly conserved.