GENERAL STRESS TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR-SIGMA(B) AND SPORULATION TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR-SIGMA(H) EACH CONTRIBUTE TO SURVIVAL OF BACILLUS-SUBTILISUNDER EXTREME GROWTH-CONDITIONS

The general stress response of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis is cont rolled by the sigma(B) transcription factor. Here we show that loss of sigma(B) reduces stationary-phase viability 10-fold in either alkalin e or acidic media and reduces cell yield in media containing ethanol. We further show that loss of the developmental transcription factor si gma(H) also has a marked effect on stationary-phase viability under th ese conditions and that this effect is independent from the simple los s of sporulation ability.