The gene ''rpoE'' (RNA polymerase, extracytoplasmic E) encodes the

sigma factor A sigma factor (σ factor or specificity factor) is a protein needed for initiation of transcription in bacteria. It is a bacterial transcription initiation factor that enables specific binding of RNA polymerase (RNAP) to gene promoters. It is ho ...

''sigma-24'' (σ24, sigma E, or RpoE), a protein in ''

Escherichia coli ''Escherichia coli'' (),Wells, J. C. (2000) Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow ngland Pearson Education Ltd. also known as ''E. coli'' (), is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus ''Escher ...

'' and other species of bacteria. Depending on the bacterial species, this gene may be referred to as ''sigE''. RpoE appears to be necessary for the exocytoplasmic stress response. ''E. coli'' mutants without ''rpoE'' cannot grow at high temperatures (that is, above 42 degrees C) and show growth defects at lower temperatures, though this may be due to compensatory mutations. In some bacterial species, such as '' Clostridium botulinum'', this sigma factor may be necessary for sporulation. The stress response regulation activities of RpoE are modulated by the Hfq protein in ''E. coli''.

References

Escherichia coli genes {{gene-stub