Structural basis for preferential binding of H-NS to curved DNA

The Escherichia coli H-NS protein is a nucleoid-associated protein involved in transcription regulation and DNA compaction. H-NS exerts its role in DNA condensation by non-specific interactions with DNA. With respect to transcription regulation preferential binding sites in the promoter regions of different genes have been reported. In this paper we describe the analysis of H-NS-DNA complexes on a preferred H-NS binding site by atomic force microscopy. On the basis of these data we present a model for the specific recognition of DNA by H-NS as a function of DNA curvature.