The effect of mutations in the transcription factor Rho in Escherichia coli under thermal stress

The role of the transcription factor Rho in adaptation to high temperatureA previous experimental evolution study suggested that adaptation to high temperature in Escherichia coli is achieved by a multiplicity of mutations, with mutations in the Rho termination factor being particularly important. The objective of this study was to determine the effects that different mutations in rho have on gene expression. We found that mutations in rho have more efficient transcription termination at high temperature than the ancestral genotype, which may be an adaptive benefit under thermal stress.