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A model of H-NS mediated compaction of bacterial DNA.

ABSTRACT: The histone-like nucleoid structuring protein (H-NS) is a nucleoid-associated protein, which is involved in both gene regulation and DNA compaction. H-NS can bind to DNA in two different ways: in trans, by binding to two separate DNA duplexes, or in cis, by binding to different sites on the same duplex. Based on scanning force microscopy imaging and optical trap-driven unzipping assays, it has recently been suggested that DNA compaction may result from the antagonistic effects of H-NS binding to DNA in trans and cis configurations. To get more insight into the compaction mechanism, we constructed a coarse-grained model description of the compaction of bacterial DNA by H-NS. These simulations highlight the fact that DNA compaction indeed results from the subtle equilibrium between several competing factors, which include the deformation dynamics of the plasmid and the several binding modes of protein dimers to DNA, i.e., dangling configurations, cis- and trans-binding. In particular, the degree of compaction is extremely sensitive to the difference in binding energies of the cis and trans configurations. Our simulations also point out that the conformations of the DNA-protein complexes are significantly different in bulk and in planar conditions, suggesting that conformations observed on mica surfaces may differ significantly from those that prevail in living cells.

SUBMITTER: Joyeux M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3617430 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A model of H-NS mediated compaction of bacterial DNA.

Joyeux Marc M Vreede Jocelyne J

Biophysical journal 20130401 7

The histone-like nucleoid structuring protein (H-NS) is a nucleoid-associated protein, which is involved in both gene regulation and DNA compaction. H-NS can bind to DNA in two different ways: in trans, by binding to two separate DNA duplexes, or in cis, by binding to different sites on the same duplex. Based on scanning force microscopy imaging and optical trap-driven unzipping assays, it has recently been suggested that DNA compaction may result from the antagonistic effects of H-NS binding to ...[more]

PMID: 23561538

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Project description:A handful of nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) regulate the vast majority of genes in a bacterial cell. H-NS, the histone-like nucleoid-structuring protein, is one of these NAPs and protects Escherichia coli from foreign gene expression. Though lacking any sequence similarity with E. coli H-NS, Rv3852 was annotated as the H-NS ortholog in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as it resembles human histone H1. The role of Rv3852 was thoroughly investigated by immunoblotting, subcellular localization, construction of an unmarked rv3852 deletion in the M. tuberculosis genome, and subsequent analysis of the resulting Δrv3852 strain. We found that Rv3852 was predominantly present in the logarithmic growth phase with a decrease in protein abundance in stationary phase. Furthermore, it was strongly associated with the cell membrane and not detected in the cytosolic fraction, nor was it secreted. The Δrv3852 strain displayed no growth defect or morphological abnormalities. Quantitative measurement of nucleoid localization in the Δrv3852 mutant strain compared to that in the parental H37Rv strain showed no difference in nucleoid position or spread. Infection of macrophages as well as severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice demonstrated that loss of Rv3852 had no detected influence on the virulence of M. tuberculosis We thus conclude that M. tuberculosis Rv3852 is not involved in pathogenesis and is not a typical NAP. The existence of an as yet undiscovered Rv3852 ortholog cannot be excluded, although this role is likely played by the well-characterized Lsr2 protein.IMPORTANCEMycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of the lung infection tuberculosis, claiming more than 1.5 million lives each year. To understand the mechanisms of latent infection, where M. tuberculosis can stay dormant inside the human host, we require deeper knowledge of the basic biology and of the regulatory networks. In our work, we show that Rv3852, previously annotated as H-NS, is not a typical nucleoid-associated protein (NAP) as expected from its initial annotation. Rv3852 from M. tuberculosis has neither influence on nucleoid shape or compaction nor a role in virulence. Our findings reduce the repertoire of identified nucleoid-associated proteins in M. tuberculosis to four transcription regulators and underline the importance of genetic studies to assign a function to bacterial genes.

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A model of H-NS mediated compaction of bacterial DNA.

Publications

A model of H-NS mediated compaction of bacterial DNA.

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