title: Differential functional properties of chromosomal- and plasmid-encoded H-NS proteins.
abstract: The nucleoid-associated protein H-NS can be either chromosomal- or plasmid-encoded. We provide in this report evidence indicating that chromosomal- and plasmid-encoded H-NS proteins may differ in their functional properties. The modulatory function of chromosomal H-NS is antagonized by the H-NST(EPEC) protein. We show that the H-NS protein encoded by the IncHI plasmid R27 (H-NS(R27)) is less sensitive to H-NST(EPEC) antagonism than its chromosomal counterpart. H-NS(R27) plays a relevant role by modulating R27 conjugation in response to temperature. Hence, we suggest that this modulator has evolved to avoid the deregulation of R27 conjugation by H-NST(EPEC)-like proteins.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya, Baldiri Reixac 15-21, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Baños
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aznar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Madrid
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juárez
mesh_terms: D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C529458:FimG protein, E coli; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins