Identification of the sigB Operon in Staphylococcus epidermidis: Construction and Characterization of a sigB Deletion Mutant

The role of the alternative sigma factor ς(B) in Staphylococcus epidermidis was investigated by the construction, complementation, and characterization of a sigB deletion mutant. Electrophoretic analyses confirmed a profound influence of ς(B) on the expression of exoproteins and cytoplasmic proteins. Detailed investigation revealed reduced lipase and enhanced protease activity in the ς(B) mutant. Furthermore, no significant influence of ς(B) on heterologous biofilm formation or on the activity of the global regulator agr was detected.