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Proteolytic Activation of Extra Cytoplasmic Function (ECF) σ Factors
Book chapter

Proteolytic Activation of Extra Cytoplasmic Function (ECF) σ Factors

Jessica L Hastie and Craig D Ellermeier
Stress and Environmental Regulation of Gene Expression and Adaptation in Bacteria, pp.344-351
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
08/26/2016
DOI: 10.1002/9781119004813.ch30

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Abstract

Extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factors are a type of bacterial signal transduction system used to processes various environmental signals. These alternative σ factors direct transcription in response to extracellular signals, which are often stress related. ECF σ factors are held inactive by an anti‐σ factor until they encounter stress, at which point they are activated. Mechanisms of ECF σ factor activation can vary depending on the architecture of the anti‐σ factor. Here we highlight those ECF σ factors that are activated by a proteolytic cleavage cascade. In these systems, the anti‐σ factor inhibits activation of the ECF σ factors by sequestering it to the membrane, and preventing interaction with RNA polymerase in the absence of signal. In the presence of an inducing signal, the ECF σ factor is released via proteolytic degradation of the anti‐σ factor. We discuss the proteases involved and the methods of signal recognition that initiate ECF σ factor activation by proteolysis.
proteolytic cascades RNA polymerase sigma factors

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