The nucleoid-associated protein Dan organizes chromosomal DNA through rigid nucleoprotein filament formation in E. coli during anoxia

Nucleoid-associated proteins of mycobacteria come with a distinctive flavor

In every bacterium, nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) play crucial roles in chromosome organization, replication, repair, gene expression, and other DNA transactions. Their central role in controlling the chromatin dynamics and transcription has been well-appreciated in several well-studied organisms. Here, we review the diversity, distribution, structure, and function of NAPs from the genus Mycobacterium. We highlight the progress made in our understanding of the effects of these proteins on various processes and in responding to environmental stimuli and stress of mycobacteria in their free-living as well as during distinctive intracellular lifestyles. We project them as potential drug targets and discuss future studies to bridge the information gap with NAPs from well-studied systems.

Revealing nanostructures in brain tissue via protein decrowding by iterative expansion microscopy

Many crowded biomolecular structures in cells and tissues are inaccessible to labelling antibodies. To understand how proteins within these structures are arranged with nanoscale precision therefore requires that these structures be decrowded before labelling. Here we show that an iterative variant of expansion microscopy (the permeation of cells and tissues by a swellable hydrogel followed by isotropic hydrogel expansion, to allow for enhanced imaging resolution with ordinary microscopes) enables the imaging of nanostructures in expanded yet otherwise intact tissues at a resolution of about 20 nm. The method, which we named 'expansion revealing' and validated with DNA-probe-based super-resolution microscopy, involves gel-anchoring reagents and the embedding, expansion and re-embedding of the sample in homogeneous swellable hydrogels. Expansion revealing enabled us to use confocal microscopy to image the alignment of pre-synaptic calcium channels with post-synaptic scaffolding proteins in intact brain circuits, and to uncover periodic amyloid nanoclusters containing ion-channel proteins in brain tissue from a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Expansion revealing will enable the further discovery of previously unseen nanostructures within cells and tissues.

RegulonDB 11.0: Comprehensive high-throughput datasets on transcriptional regulation in Escherichia coli K-12

Genomics has set the basis for a variety of methodologies that produce high-throughput datasets identifying the different players that define gene regulation, particularly regulation of transcription initiation and operon organization. These datasets are available in public repositories, such as the Gene Expression Omnibus, or ArrayExpress. However, accessing and navigating such a wealth of data is not straightforward. No resource currently exists that offers all available high and low-throughput data on transcriptional regulation in Escherichia coli K-12 to easily use both as whole datasets, or as individual interactions and regulatory elements. RegulonDB (https://regulondb.ccg.unam.mx) began gathering high-throughput dataset collections in 2009, starting with transcription start sites, then adding ChIP-seq and gSELEX in 2012, with up to 99 different experimental high-throughput datasets available in 2019. In this paper we present a radical upgrade to more than 2000 high-throughput datasets, processed to facilitate their comparison, introducing up-to-date collections of transcription termination sites, transcription units, as well as transcription factor binding interactions derived from ChIP-seq, ChIP-exo, gSELEX and DAP-seq experiments, besides expression profiles derived from RNA-seq experiments. For ChIP-seq experiments we offer both the data as presented by the authors, as well as data uniformly processed in-house, enhancing their comparability, as well as the traceability of the methods and reproducibility of the results. Furthermore, we have expanded the tools available for browsing and visualization across and within datasets. We include comparisons against previously existing knowledge in RegulonDB from classic experiments, a nucleotide-resolution genome viewer, and an interface that enables users to browse datasets by querying their metadata. A particular effort was made to automatically extract detailed experimental growth conditions by implementing an assisted curation strategy applying Natural language processing and machine learning. We provide summaries with the total number of interactions found in each experiment, as well as tools to identify common results among different experiments. This is a long-awaited resource to make use of such wealth of knowledge and advance our understanding of the biology of the model bacterium E. coli K-12.

Structures of the TetR-like transcription regulator RcdA alone and in complexes with ligands

RcdA is a helix-turn-helix (HTH) transcriptional regulator belonging to the TetR family. The protein regulates the transcription of curlin subunit gene D, the master regulator of biofilm formation. Moreover, it was predicted that it might be involved in the regulation of up to 27 different genes. However, an effector of RcdA and the environmental conditions which trigger RcdA action remain unknown. Herein, we report the first crystal structures of RcdA in complexes with ligands, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), which might serve as RcdA effectors. Based on these structures, the ligand-binding pocket of RcdA was characterized in detail. The conservation of the amino acid residues forming the ligand-binding cavity was analyzed and the comprehensive search for RcdA structural homologs was performed. This analysis indicated that RcdA is structurally similar to multidrug-binding TetR family members, however, its ligand-binding cavity differs significantly from the pockets of its structural homologs. The interaction of RcdA with TMAO and Tris indicates that the protein might be involved in alkaline stress response.

Effects of rhodioloside on the neurological functions of rats with total cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and cone neuron injury in the hippocampal CA1 region

Rhodioloside, the main effective constituent of Rhodiola rosea, demonstrates antiaging and antioxidative stress functions and inhibits calcium overloading in cells. These functions imply that rhodioloside may exert protective effects on hippocampal neurons after total cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. In this study, male Wistar rat models of total cerebral ischemia were constructed and randomly divided into four groups: sham-operation, ischemia/reperfusion, low-dosage, and high-dosage groups. The result showed that rhodioloside treatment reduced the apoptosis rates of hippocampal neurons and the histological grades of cone cells in the hippocampal CA1 region, but neuronal density was significantly increased. Besides, the protein expressions of Bcl-2/Bax and p53 were measured and found Bcl-2/Bax was increased and p53 protein level was reduced. Therefore, rhodioloside might have protective effects on rats with ischemia/reperfusion brain injury.

Novel regulators of the csgD gene encoding the master regulator of biofilm formation in Escherichia coli K-12

Under stressful conditions, Escherichia coli forms biofilm for survival by sensing a variety of environmental conditions. CsgD, the master regulator of biofilm formation, controls cell aggregation by directly regulating the synthesis of Curli fimbriae. In agreement of its regulatory role, as many as 14 transcription factors (TFs) have so far been identified to participate in regulation of the csgD promoter, each monitoring a specific environmental condition or factor. In order to identify the whole set of TFs involved in this typical multi-factor promoter, we performed in this study ‘promoter-specific transcription-factor’ (PS-TF) screening in vitro using a set of 198 purified TFs (145 TFs with known functions and 53 hitherto uncharacterized TFs). A total of 48 TFs with strong binding to the csgD promoter probe were identified, including 35 known TFs and 13 uncharacterized TFs, referred to as Y-TFs. As an attempt to search for novel regulators, in this study we first analysed a total of seven Y-TFs, including YbiH, YdcI, YhjC, YiaJ, YiaU, YjgJ and YjiR. After analysis of curli fimbriae formation, LacZ-reporter assay, Northern-blot analysis and biofilm formation assay, we identified at least two novel regulators, repressor YiaJ (renamed PlaR) and activator YhjC (renamed RcdB), of the csgD promoter.

White spot syndrome viral protein VP9 alters the cellular higher-order chromatin structure

Viral protein 9 (VP9) is a non-structural protein of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) highly expressed during the early stage of infection. The crystal structure of VP9 suggests that the polymers of VP9 dimers resemble a DNA mimic, but its function remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that VP9 impedes histones binding to DNA via single-molecule manipulation. We established VP9 expression in HeLa cells due to the lack of a WSSV-susceptible cell line, and observed abundant VP9 in the nucleus, which mirrors its distribution in the hemocytes of WSSV-infected shrimp. VP9 expression increased the dynamics and rotational mobility of histones in stable H3-GFP HeLa cells as revealed by fluorescent recovery after photobleaching and fluorescence anisotropy imaging, which suggested a loosened compaction of chromatin structure. Successive salt fractionation showed that a prominent population of histones was solubilized in high salt concentrations, which implies alterations of bulk chromatin structure. Southern blotting identified that VP9 alters juxtacentromeric chromatin structures to be more accessible to micrococcal nuclease digestion. RNA microarray revealed that VP9 expression also leads to significant changes of cellular gene expression. Our findings provide evidence that VP9 alters the cellular higher-order chromatin structure, uncovering a potential strategy adopted by WSSV to facilitate its replication.

Monoubiquitination by the human Fanconi anemia core complex clamps FANCI:FANCD2 on DNA in filamentous arrays

FANCI:FANCD2 monoubiquitination is a critical event for replication fork stabilization by the Fanconi anemia (FA) DNA repair pathway. It has been proposed that at stalled replication forks, monoubiquitinated-FANCD2 serves to recruit DNA repair proteins that contain ubiquitin-binding motifs. Here, we have reconstituted the FA pathway in vitro to study functional consequences of FANCI:FANCD2 monoubiquitination. We report that monoubiquitination does not promote any specific exogenous protein:protein interactions, but instead stabilizes FANCI:FANCD2 heterodimers on dsDNA. This clamping requires monoubiquitination of only the FANCD2 subunit. We further show using electron microscopy that purified monoubiquitinated FANCI:FANCD2 forms filament-like arrays on long dsDNA. Our results reveal how monoubiquitinated FANCI:FANCD2, defective in many cancer types and all cases of FA, is activated upon DNA binding.

Influence of Nucleoid-Associated Proteins on DNA Supercoiling

DNA supercoiling, where the DNA strand forms a writhe to relieve torsional stress, plays a vital role in packaging the genetic material in cells. Experiment, simulation, and theory have all demonstrated how supercoiling emerges due to the over- or underwinding of the DNA strand. Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) help structure DNA in prokaryotes, yet the role that they play in the supercoiling process has not been as thoroughly investigated. We develop a coarse-grained simulation to model DNA supercoiling in the presence of proteins, providing a rigorous physical understanding of how NAPs affect supercoiling behavior. Specifically, we demonstrate how the force and torque necessary to form supercoils are affected by the presence of NAPs. NAPs that bend DNA stabilize the supercoil, thus shifting the transition between extended and supercoiled DNAs. We develop a theory to explain how NAP binding affects DNA supercoiling. This provides insight into how NAPs modulate DNA compaction via a combination of supercoiling and local protein-dependent deformations.

Regulatory role of CsqR (YihW) in transcription of the genes for catabolism of the anionic sugar sulfoquinovose (SQ) in Escherichia coli K-12

The binding sites of YihW, an uncharacterized DeoR-family transcription factor (TF) of Escherichia coli K-12, were identified using Genomic SELEX screening at two closely located sites, one inside the spacer between the bidirectional transcription units comprising the yihUTS operon and the yihV gene, and another one upstream of the yihW gene itself. Recently the YihUTS and YihV proteins were identified as catalysing the catabolism of sulfoquinovose (SQ), a hydrolysis product of sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG) derived from plants and other photosynthetic organisms. Gel shift assay in vitro and reporter assay in vivo indicated that YihW functions as a repressor for all three transcription units. De-repression of the yih operons was found to be under the control of SQ as inducer, but not of lactose, glucose or galactose. Furthermore, a mode of its cooperative DNA binding was suggested for YihW by atomic force microscopy. Hence, as a regulator of the catabolism of SQ, we renamed YihW as CsqR.

Transfer-matrix calculations of the effects of tension and torque constraints on DNA-protein interactions

Organization and maintenance of the chromosomal DNA in living cells strongly depends on the DNA interactions with a plethora of DNA-binding proteins. Single-molecule studies show that formation of nucleoprotein complexes on DNA by such proteins is frequently subject to force and torque constraints applied to the DNA. Although the existing experimental techniques allow to exert these type of mechanical constraints on individual DNA biopolymers, their exact effects in regulation of DNA-protein interactions are still not completely understood due to the lack of systematic theoretical methods able to efficiently interpret complex experimental observations. To fill this gap, we have developed a general theoretical framework based on the transfer-matrix calculations that can be used to accurately describe behaviour of DNA-protein interactions under force and torque constraints. Potential applications of the constructed theoretical approach are demonstrated by predicting how these constraints affect the DNA-binding properties of different types of architectural proteins. Obtained results provide important insights into potential physiological functions of mechanical forces in the chromosomal DNA organization by architectural proteins as well as into single-DNA manipulation studies of DNA-protein interactions.

Applications of Magnetic Tweezers to Studies of NAPs

Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) are important factors in shaping bacterial nucleoid and regulating global gene expression. A great deal of insights into NAPs can be obtained through studies using single DNA molecule, which has been made possible owing to recent rapid development of single-DNA manipulation techniques. These studies provide information on modes of binding to DNA, which shed light on the mechanism underlying the regulatory function of NAPs. In addition, how NAPs organize DNA and thus their contribution to chromosomal DNA packaging can be determined. In this chapter, we introduce transverse magnetic tweezers that allows for convenient manipulation of long DNA molecules, and its applications in studies of NAPs as exemplified by the E. coli H-NS protein. We describe how transverse magnetic tweezers is a powerful tool that can be used to characterize the DNA binding and organization modes of NAPs and how such information leads to better understanding of its roles in DNA packaging of bacterial nucleoid and transcription regulation.

Role of Salt Valency in the Switch of H-NS Proteins between DNA-Bridging and DNA-Stiffening Modes

This work investigates the interactions of H-NS proteins and bacterial genomic DNA through computer simulations performed with a coarse-grained model. The model was developed specifically to study the switch of H-NS proteins from the DNA-stiffening to the DNA-bridging mode, which has been observed repeatedly upon addition of multivalent cations to the buffer but is still not understood. Unraveling the corresponding mechanism is all the more crucial, as the regulation properties of H-NS proteins, as well as other nucleoid proteins, are linked to their DNA-binding properties. The simulations reported here support a mechanism, according to which the primary role of multivalent cations consists in decreasing the strength of H-NS/DNA interactions compared to H-NS/H-NS interactions, with the latter ones becoming energetically favored with respect to the former ones above a certain threshold of the effective valency of the cations of the buffer. Below the threshold, H-NS dimers form filaments, which stretch along the DNA molecule but are quite inefficient in bridging genomically distant DNA sites (DNA-stiffening mode). In contrast, just above the threshold, H-NS dimers form three-dimensional clusters, which are able to connect DNA sites that are distant from the genomic point of view (DNA-bridging mode). The model provides clear rationales for the experimental observations that the switch between the two modes is a threshold effect and that the ability of H-NS dimers to form higher order oligomers is crucial for their bridging capabilities.

Uncharacterized Bacterial Structures Revealed by Electron Cryotomography

Electron cryotomography (ECT) can reveal the native structure and arrangement of macromolecular complexes inside intact cells. This technique has greatly advanced our understanding of the ultrastructure of bacterial cells. We now view bacteria as structurally complex assemblies of macromolecular machines rather than as undifferentiated bags of enzymes. To date, our group has applied ECT to nearly 90 different bacterial species, collecting more than 15,000 cryotomograms. In addition to known structures, we have observed, to our knowledge, several uncharacterized features in these tomograms. Some are completely novel structures; others expand the features or species range of known structure types. Here, we present a survey of these uncharacterized bacterial structures in the hopes of accelerating their identification and study, and furthering our understanding of the structural complexity of bacterial cells.IMPORTANCE Bacteria are more structurally complex than is commonly appreciated. Here we present a survey of previously uncharacterized structures that we observed in bacterial cells by electron cryotomography, structures that will initiate new lines of research investigating their identities and roles.

Morphology of the archaellar motor and associated cytoplasmic cone in Thermococcus kodakaraensis

Archaeal swimming motility is driven by archaella: rotary motors attached to long extracellular filaments. The structure of these motors, and particularly how they are anchored in the absence of a peptidoglycan cell wall, is unknown. Here, we use electron cryotomography to visualize the archaellar basal body in vivo in Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1. Compared to the homologous bacterial type IV pilus (T4P), we observe structural similarities as well as several unique features. While the position of the cytoplasmic ATPase appears conserved, it is not braced by linkages that extend upward through the cell envelope as in the T4P, but rather by cytoplasmic components that attach it to a large conical frustum up to 500 nm in diameter at its base. In addition to anchoring the lophotrichous bundle of archaella, the conical frustum associates with chemosensory arrays and ribosome-excluding material and may function as a polar organizing center for the coccoid cells.

A structural sketch of RcdA, a transcription factor controlling the master regulator of biofilm formation

RcdA is a regulator of curlin subunit gene D, the master regulator of biofilm formation in Escherichia coli. Here, we determined the X-ray structure of RcdA at 2.55 Å resolution. RcdA consists of an N-terminal DNA-binding domain (DBD) containing a helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif and a C-terminal dimerization domain, and forms a homodimer in crystals. A computational docking model of the RcdA-DNA complex allowed prediction of the candidate residues responsible for DNA binding. Our structure-guided mutagenesis, in combination with gel shift assay, atomic force microscopic observation, and reporter assay, indicate that R32 in α2 of the HTH motif plays an essential role in the recognition and binding of target DNA while T46 in α3 influences the mode of oligomerization. These results provide insights into the DNA-binding mode of RcdA.

Mechanics, thermodynamics, and kinetics of ligand binding to biopolymers

Ligands binding to polymers regulate polymer functions by changing their physical and chemical properties. This ligand regulation plays a key role in many biological processes. We propose here a model to explain the mechanical, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties of the process of binding of small ligands to long biopolymers. These properties can now be measured at the single molecule level using force spectroscopy techniques. Our model performs an effective decomposition of the ligand-polymer system on its covered and uncovered regions, showing that the elastic properties of the ligand-polymer depend explicitly on the ligand coverage of the polymer (i.e., the fraction of the polymer covered by the ligand). The equilibrium coverage that minimizes the free energy of the ligand-polymer system is computed as a function of the applied force. We show how ligands tune the mechanical properties of a polymer, in particular its length and stiffness, in a force dependent manner. In addition, it is shown how ligand binding can be regulated applying mechanical tension on the polymer. Moreover, the binding kinetics study shows that, in the case where the ligand binds and organizes the polymer in different modes, the binding process can present transient shortening or lengthening of the polymer, caused by changes in the relative coverage by the different ligand modes. Our model will be useful to understand ligand-binding regulation of biological processes, such as the metabolism of nucleic acid. In particular, this model allows estimating the coverage fraction and the ligand mode characteristics from the force extension curves of a ligand-polymer system.

Strategies for manipulation of oxygen utilization by the electron transfer chain in microbes for metabolic engineering purposes

Microaerobic growth is of importance in ecological niches, pathogenic infections and industrial production of chemicals. The use of low levels of oxygen enables the cell to gain energy and grow more robustly in the presence of a carbon source that can be oxidized and provide electrons to the respiratory chain in the membrane. A considerable amount of information is available on the genes and proteins involved in respiratory growth and the regulation of genes involved in aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. The dependence of regulation on sensing systems that respond to reduced quinones (e.g. ArcB) or oxygen levels that affect labile redox components of transcription regulators (Fnr) are key in understanding the regulation. Manipulation of the amount of respiration can be difficult to control in dense cultures or inadequately mixed reactors leading to inhomogeneous cultures that may have lower than optimal performance. Efforts to control respiration through genetic means have been reported and address mutations affecting components of the electron transport chain. In a recent report completion for intermediates of the ubiquinone biosynthetic pathway was used to dial the level of respiration vs lactate formation in an aerobically grown E. coli culture.

Regulation of Bacterial DNA Packaging in Early Stationary Phase by Competitive DNA Binding of Dps and IHF

The bacterial nucleoid, a bacterial genome packed by nucleoid binding proteins, forms the physical basis for cellular processes such as gene transcription and DNA replication. Bacteria need to dynamically modulate their nucleoid structures at different growth phases and in response to environmental changes. At the nutrients deficient stationary phase, DNA-binding proteins from starved cells (Dps) and Integration host factors (IHF) are the two most abundant nucleoid associated proteins in E. coli. Yet, it remains unclear how the nucleoid architecture is controlled by the interplay between these two proteins, as well as the nucleoid's response to environmental changes. This question is addressed here using single DNA manipulation approach. Our results reveal that the two proteins are differentially selected for DNA binding, which can be tuned by changing environmental factors over physiological ranges including KCl (50-300 mM), MgCl2 (0-10 mM), pH (6.5-8.5) and temperature (23-37 °C). Increasing pH and MgCl2 concentrations switch from Dps-binding to IHF-binding. Stable Dps-DNA and IHF-DNA complexes are insensitive to temperature changes for the range tested. The environment dependent selection between IHF and Dps results in different physical organizations of DNA. Overall, our findings provide important insights into E. coli nucleoid architecture.

Collaborative protein filaments

It is now well established that prokaryotic cells assemble diverse proteins into dynamic cytoskeletal filaments that perform essential cellular functions. Although most of the filaments assemble on their own to form higher order structures, growing evidence suggests that there are a number of prokaryotic proteins that polymerise only in the presence of a matrix such as DNA, lipid membrane or even another filament. Matrix-assisted filament systems are frequently nucleotide dependent and cytomotive but rarely considered as part of the bacterial cytoskeleton. Here, we categorise this family of filament-forming systems as collaborative filaments and introduce a simple nomenclature. Collaborative filaments are frequent in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes and are involved in vital cellular processes including chromosome segregation, DNA repair and maintenance, gene silencing and cytokinesis to mention a few. In this review, we highlight common principles underlying collaborative filaments and correlate these with known functions.

Complex kinetics of DNA condensation revealed through DNA twist tracing

Toroid formation is an important mechanism for DNA condensation in cells. The length change during DNA condensation was investigated in previous single-molecule experiments. However, DNA twist is key to understanding the topological kinetics of DNA condensation. In this study, DNA twist as well as DNA length was traced during the DNA condensation by the freely orbiting magnetic tweezers and the tilted magnetic tweezers combined with Brownian dynamics simulations. The experimental results disclose the complex relationship between DNA extension and backbone rotation. Brownian dynamics simulations show that the toroid formation follows a wiggling pathway which leads to the complex DNA backbone rotation as revealed in our experiments. These findings provide the complete description of multivalent cation-dependent DNA toroid formation under tension.

Transcriptional Repressor TrmBL2 from Thermococcus kodakarensis Forms Filamentous Nucleoprotein Structures and Competes with Histones for DNA Binding in a Salt- and DNA Supercoiling-dependent Manner

Architectural DNA proteins play important roles in the chromosomal DNA organization and global gene regulation in living cells. However, physiological functions of some DNA-binding proteins from archaea remain unclear. Recently, several abundant DNA-architectural proteins including histones, Alba, and TrmBL2 have been identified in model euryarchaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis. Although histones and Alba proteins have been previously characterized, the DNA binding properties of TrmBL2 and its interplay with the other major architectural proteins in the chromosomal DNA organization and gene transcription regulation remain largely unexplored. Here, we report single-DNA studies showing that at low ionic strength (<300 mM KCl), TrmBL2 binds to DNA largely in non-sequence-specific manner with positive cooperativity, resulting in formation of stiff nucleoprotein filamentous patches, whereas at high ionic strength (>300 mM KCl) TrmBL2 switches to more sequence-specific interaction, suggesting the presence of high affinity TrmBL2-filament nucleation sites. Furthermore, in vitro assays indicate the existence of DNA binding competition between TrmBL2 and archaeal histones B from T. kodakarensis, which can be strongly modulated by DNA supercoiling and ionic strength of surrounding solution. Overall, these results advance our understanding of TrmBL2 DNA binding properties and provide important insights into potential functions of architectural proteins in nucleoid organization and gene regulation in T. kodakarensis.

Mechanochemical regulations of RPA's binding to ssDNA

Replication protein A (RPA) is a ubiquitous eukaryotic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein that serves to protect ssDNA from degradation and annealing, and as a template for recruitment of many downstream factors in virtually all DNA transactions in cell. During many of these transactions, DNA is tethered and is likely subject to force. Previous studies of RPA's binding behavior on ssDNA were conducted in the absence of force; therefore the RPA-ssDNA conformations regulated by force remain unclear. Here, using a combination of atomic force microscopy imaging and mechanical manipulation of single ssDNA tethers, we show that force mediates a switch of the RPA bound ssDNA from amorphous aggregation to a much more regular extended conformation. Further, we found an interesting non-monotonic dependence of the binding affinity on monovalent salt concentration in the presence of force. In addition, we discovered that zinc in micromolar concentrations drives ssDNA to a unique, highly stiff and more compact state. These results provide new mechanochemical insights into the influences and the mechanisms of action of RPA on large single ssDNA.

Expression levels of transcription factors in Escherichia coli: growth phase- and growth condition-dependent variation of 90 regulators from six families

The expression pattern of the genome in Escherichia coli is controlled by regulating the utilization of a limited number of RNA polymerases between a total of 4600 genes on its genome. The distribution pattern of RNA polymerase on the genome changes after two steps of protein–protein interaction with seven sigma subunits and about 300 transcription factors (TFs). Based on a systematic search for the regulation target promoters recognized by each TF, we propose two novel concepts: each TF regulates a number of target promoters; and each promoter is regulated by many TFs. In parallel, attempts have been made to determine the intracellular concentrations of all TFs using two systems: quantitative immunoblot analysis using TF-specific antibodies; and reporter assay of TF promoter activities. The direct measurement of TF protein level has so far been published for a set of 60 regulators with known functions. This study describes the determination of growth phase-dependent expression levels of 90 TFs using the reporter assay system. The translational fusion vector was constructed from the TF promoter sequence including an N-terminal proximal TF segment and the reporter GFP. At the beginning of cell growth, high-level expression was observed only for a small number of TFs. In the exponential phase, approximately 80 % TFs are expressed, but the expressed TF species change upon transfer to the stationary phase. Significant changes in the pattern of TF expression were observed between aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The list of intracellular levels of TFs provides further understanding to the transcription regulation of the E. coli genome under various stressful conditions.

Single-molecule studies on the mechanical interplay between DNA supercoiling and H-NS DNA architectural properties

The Escherichia coli H-NS protein is a major nucleoid-associated protein that is involved in chromosomal DNA packaging and gene regulatory functions. These biological processes are intimately related to the DNA supercoiling state and thus suggest a direct relationship between H-NS binding and DNA supercoiling. Here, we show that H-NS, which has two distinct DNA-binding modes, is able to differentially regulate DNA supercoiling. H-NS DNA-stiffening mode caused by nucleoprotein filament formation is able to suppress DNA plectoneme formation during DNA supercoiling. In contrast, when H-NS is in its DNA-bridging mode, it is able to promote DNA plectoneme formation during DNA supercoiling. In addition, the DNA-bridging mode is able to block twists diffusion thus trapping DNA in supercoiled domains. Overall, this work reveals the mechanical interplay between H-NS and DNA supercoiling which provides insights to H-NS organization of chromosomal DNA based on its two distinct DNA architectural properties.

Mechanism of DNA organization by Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein Lsr2

Bacterial nucleoid-associated proteins, such as H-NS-like proteins in Enterobacteriaceae, are abundant DNA-binding proteins that function in chromosomal DNA organization and gene transcription regulation. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Lsr2 protein has been proposed to be the first identified H-NS analogue in Gram-positive bacteria based on its capability to complement numerous in vivo functions of H-NS. Here, we report that Lsr2 cooperatively binds to DNA forming a rigid Lsr2 nucleoprotein complex that restricts DNA accessibility, similar to H-NS. On large DNA, the rigid Lsr2 nucleoprotein complexes can mediate DNA condensation into highly compact DNA conformations. In addition, the responses of Lsr2 nucleoprotein complex to environmental factors (salt concentration, temperature and pH) were studied over physiological ranges. These results provide mechanistic insights into how Lsr2 may mediate its gene silencing, genomic DNA protection and organization functions in vivo. Finally, our results strongly support that Lsr2 is an H-NS-like protein in Gram-positive bacteria from a structural perspective.