Regulation of Bacterial Stress Responses by Sigma Factors: From Transcriptional Control to Metabolic and Physiological Adaptation
A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 615
Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue.
Bacteria are continuously exposed to environmental stressors that challenge their survival and growth. To cope with these conditions, they have evolved specialized sigma factors that activate specific defence responses. These responses frequently involve extensive transcriptional reprogramming accompanied by significant physiological and metabolic adaptations.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in our understanding of the sigma factor-mediated regulation of bacterial stress responses. We welcome contributions that address the characterization of both novel and well-studied sigma factors, with emphasis on their regulatory mechanisms, gene targets, and integration within broader cellular networks. Particular interest will be given to studies that investigate stress-induced physiological and metabolic changes, including, but not limited to, cell envelope remodelling, energy and redox homeostasis, metal homeostasis, growth arrest, and sporulation.
Original research articles, short communications, and reviews are invited. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Signalling pathways leading to sigma factor induction;
- Interactions between sigma factors and their cognate anti-sigma factors;
- Sigma factor-dependent transcriptional responses;
- Sigma factor-regulated physiological and metabolic adaptations;
- Sigma factor-mediated interactions with host organisms or microbial communities.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Agnese Serafini
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- sigma factors
- environmental stress
- bacterial physiology
- metabolism
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