Dps Is a Stationary Phase-Specific Protein of Escherichia coli Nucleoid

Bacterial genomic DNA is highly organized into one or few compacted bodies known as nucleoid, which is composed of DNA, RNA and several DNA-binding proteins. These DNA-binding proteins require essential alterations in their expression during stationary phase of growth in order to respond to stressful environmental conditions. Dps (DNA-binding protein from starved cells) is one of such DNA-binding proteins, which accumulates most when E. coli cells reach to the stationary phase. Here, we have characterized Dps protein under various growth phases. Immunofluorescent microscopic observation reveals that Dps plays a key role in final round of genome compaction during the stationary phase. Similar results are also obtained by Western immunoblot analysis, after quantification of Dps protein from the exponential phase and early stationary phase nucleoid bound fractions, separated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Our results support the conclusion that Dps occupies more than half of the stationary phase nucleoid in E. coli.