Noise in rpoS expression determines cellular permissiveness for horizontal transfer of an Integrative and Conjugative Element

To support our molecular hypothesis of the effect of rpoS and inrR genes over the activation of the ICEclc genome in Pseudomonas knackmussii B13, we have employed Agilent DNA custom microarray in the 8X15K format. ICEclc-specific gene expression in Pseudomonas knackmussii strain B13 was measured after 48 hours of stationary phase following a growth on 10mM 3-chlorobenzoate (3CBA) as sole carbon and energy source. Various genotypes were tested: wild type (strain n°78, in 5 replicates), inrR-/- (strain 2201, in triplicates), delta::rpoS (strain 2671, in triplicates).