SbrE is a ncRNA in Listeria monocytogenes, reported to be up-regulated by the alternative sigma factor sigma(B). Initial quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) experiments on parent strains and isogenic Delta sigB strains demonstrated sigma(B)-dependent expression of SbrE across the four L. monocytogenes lineages and in L. innocua. Microarray and proteomics (MDLC/MS/MS with iTRAQ labeling) experiments with the L. monocytogenes parent strain and an isogenic Delta sbrE strain identified a single gene (lmo0636) and two proteins (Lmo0637 and Lmo2094) that showed lower expression levels in the Delta sbrE strain. qRT-PCR demonstrated an increase in SbrE transcript levels in stationary phase L. monocytogenes and in bacteria exposed to oxidative stress (mean log2 transcript levels 7.68 +/- 0.57 and 1.70 +/- 0.71 greater than in mid-log phase cells, respectively). However, no significant differences in growth or survival between the parent strain and Delta sbrE strain were confirmed under a variety of environmental stress conditions tested. Our data suggest that sigma(B)-dependent transcription of SbrE represents a conserved mechanism that contributes, across Listeria species, to fine-tuning of gene expression under specific environmental conditions that remain to be defined.