Abstract
The σ<sup>E</sup> regulon has been shown to perform a novel function that causes dead-cell lysis specific to the early stationary phase [Nitta et al., 2000] in addition to its well-known role in the extracytoplasmic stress response in Escherichia coli. Here, the effect of σ<sup>S</sup> as a general stress-responsive sigma factor on σ<sup>E</sup>-directed cell lysis was investigated. The lysis phenomena were observed in both rpoS mutant and parental strains constitutively expressing active σ<sup>E</sup>, but the former lysis occurred at a relatively early stage compared to the latter. Based on these results and experiments with hydrogen peroxide, we propose that some stresses generate living but non-culturable cells, which are subject to σ<sup>E</sup>-directed cell lysis.
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