All microorganisms possess a positive turgor, and maintenance of this outward-directed
pressure is essential since it is generally considered as the driving force for cell expansion …

The cytoplasm of bacterial cells is a highly crowded cellular compartment that possesses
considerable osmotic potential. As a result, and owing to the semipermeable nature of the …

The σS (RpoS) subunit of RNA polymerase is the master regulator of the general stress
response in Escherichia coli and related bacteria. While rapidly growing cells contain very …

The emergence of resistance to antibacterial agents is a pressing concern for human health.
New drugs to combat this problem are therefore in great demand, but as past experience …

The maltose system of Escherichia coli offers an unusually rich set of enzymes, transporters,
and regulators as objects of study. This system is responsible for the uptake and metabolism …

In many genomes, toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems have been identified; however, their role in
cell physiology has been unclear. Here we examine the evidence that TA systems are …

Fluctuations in environmental osmolarity are ubiquitous stress factors in many natural
habitats of microorganisms, as they inevitably trigger osmotically instigated fluxes of water …

High and changing salt concentrations represent major abiotic factors limiting the growth of
microorganisms. During their long evolution, cyanobacteria have adapted to aquatic habitats …

▪ Abstract The promoter recognition specificity of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase is
modulated by replacement of the σ subunit in the first step and by interaction with …

The enteric microorganisms Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri
prefer to grow in neutral pH environments. They nevertheless experience dramatic pH …