Identification of the σE regulon of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

The extracytoplasmic function sigma factor, a E, has been shown to play a critical role in virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). The previously optimized two-plasmid system has been used to identify S. Typhimurium promoters recognized by RNA polymerase containing sigma(E). This method allowed identification of 34 cc-dependent promoters that direct expression of 62 genes in S. Typhimurium, 23 of which (including several specific for S. Typhimurium) have not been identified previously to be dependent upon c E in Escherichia coli. The promoters were confirmed in S. Typhimurium and transcriptional start points of the promoters were determined by S1-nuclease mapping. All the promoters contained sequences highly similar to the consensus sequence of sigma(E)-dependent promoters. The identified genes belonging to the S. Typhimuriurn sigma(E)-regulon encode proteins involved in primary metabolism, DNA repair systems and outer-membrane biogenesis, and regulatory proteins, periplasmic proteases and folding factors, proposed lipoproteins, and inner- and outer-membrane proteins with unknown functions. Several of these sigma(E)-dependent genes have been shown to play a role in virulence of S. Typhimurium.