Bacterial histone-like DNA-binding proteins are best known for their role in compacting the genomic DNA. Of these proteins, HU is ubiquitous and highly conserved across the eubacterial kingdom. Using the HBsu (Bacillus subtilis-encoded HU homologue) as a model, we explore here the molecular basis for the ability of some HU homologues to engage a longer approx. 35 bp DNA site as opposed to the m...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Bacillus subtilis HBsu is a 10 kD heat-stable protein shown to be involved in binding to DNA and is encoded by the hbs gene. Large-scale production for biochemical analysis is achieved through cloning and expression of the recombinant protein. MATERIALS AND METHODS This gene was amplified from B. subtilis ATCC 6633 using PCR and cloned into pET28a (+) expression vect...

the histone-like protein hu is the most-abundant dna-binding protein in bacteria. the hu protein non-specifically binds and bends dna as a hetero- or homodimer, and can participate in dna supercoiling and dna condensation. it also takes part in dna functions such as replication, recombination, and repair. hu does not recognize any specific sequences but shows a certain degree of specificity to ...

1 School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551 6 2 Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Interdisciplinary Graduate School, 7 Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 8 3 NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, 9 Singapore 636921 10 ...