A simple cell-based high throughput screening (HTS) assay for inhibitors of Salmonella enterica RNA polymerase containing the general stress response regulator RpoS (σS)

RNA polymerase containing the stress response regulator σS subunit (RpoS) plays a key role in bacterial survival in hostile environments in nature and during infection. Here we devise and validate a simple cell-based high throughput luminescence assay for this holoenzyme suitable for screening large chemical libraries in a robotic platform.