Probing bacterial nucleoid structure with optical tweezers.
The H-NS protein is a major component of the nucleoid in Gram-negative bacterial cells. It is a global regulator of transcription that affects the expression of many genes, including virulence genes in pathogenic species. At a local level, it facilitates the formation of nucleoprotein structures that repress transcriptional promoter function. H-NS can form bridges between different DNA molecules or between different sections of the same molecule, allowing it to compact and impose structure on the nucleoid. A recent paper by Dame et al.1 reports new insights into H-NS-mediated DNA bridging that were obtained using an optical tweezers device.
Dorman
Charles J
CJ
Department of Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland. cjdorman@tcd.ie
D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D052898:Optical Tweezers; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C031908:H-NS protein, bacteria