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Polyphosphate and stress response in mycobacteria
Author(s) -
Manganelli Riccardo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.05819.x
Subject(s) - rpos , biology , sigma factor , stringent response , escherichia coli , microbiology and biotechnology , fight or flight response , polyphosphate , enzyme , biochemistry , gene , promoter , gene expression , rna polymerase , phosphate
Summary Polyphosphate (poly P) is present in every living cell. Long considered a ‘molecular fossil’, its role in cell physiology has been neglected. However, in the last few years it has become clear that poly P plays a role in multiple physiological functions, the best characterized of which is rpoS and recA induction during the Escherichia coli stringent response. Sureka et al . in this issue of Molecular Microbiology investigate the role of poly P in mycobacterial stress response and describe its participation in a novel regulatory pathway involving the two‐component system MprAB, the alternative sigma factor σ E and Rel, the enzyme responsible for (p)ppGpp metabolism in mycobacteria.