We identified the stringent response as part of heat stress response during thermotolerance in B. subtilis. We hypothesize that the known activities of stringent response, which result in down regulation of translation, cell growth and DNA replication, is an intricate and important part of heat stress response, because curbing new protein synthesis will lower the load on the cellular protein quality control system.

Using various techniques and different experimental approaches we want to elucidate the role of the second messenger (p)ppGpp and its synthesizing and degrading enzymes during stringent and heat stress response in B. subtilis cells.