ECF sigma factor-associated regulatory networks in Streptomyces colicolor A3(2)

Sigma factors play important roles in transcriptional regulation in bacteria. Streptomyces coelicolor, a soil bacterium which is best known for its production of a variety of antibiotics, possesses a sophisticated transcriptional machinery. Among 58 sigma factors identified in the genome, 44 are extra-cytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factors, which coordinate cellular responses to external signals. In this paper, we report a comprehensive analysis of the protein-protein association networks involving these sigma factors. The discovery of new network components and interactions has shed lights on the mechanisms underlying stress responses and morphological differentiation.