Inorganic Polyphosphate Accumulation in Escherichia coli Is Regulated by DksA but Not by (p)ppGpp

Abstract

Production of polyP in bacteria is required for virulence and stress response, but little is known about how bacteria regulate polyP levels in response to changes in their environments. Understanding this regulation is important for understanding how pathogenic microbes resist killing by disinfectants, antibiotics, and the immune system. In this work, I have clarified the connections between polyP regulation and the stringent response to starvation stress in Escherichia coli and demonstrated an important and previously unknown role for the transcription factor DksA in controlling polyP levels.