{"database":"biostudies-literature","file_versions":[],"scores":null,"additional":{"submitter":["Fei M"],"funding":["National Natural Science Foundation of China"],"pagination":["gkaf928"],"full_dataset_link":["https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12455589"],"repository":["biostudies-literature"],"omics_type":["Unknown"],"volume":["53(18)"],"pubmed_abstract":["The ongoing arms race between prokaryotes and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) gives rise to a myriad of host-defense systems that detect and degrade invading nucleic acids. However, it is yet unclear whether changing the mechanical properties of nucleic acids can impact plasmid/phage invasion. Here, we demonstrate that H-NS, an abundant nucleoid-associated protein (NAP), limits plasmid transfer by directly binding to and oligomerizing along with transforming double-stranded DNA. The constitutive defense function of H-NS can be complemented by convergently evolved NAPs from different phyla. H-NS proteins form intramolecular bridges between DNA duplexes within incoming plasmids. Different from other defense systems that exist at low levels prior to detecting MGEs, major NAPs exist in high abu"],"journal":["Nucleic acids research"],"pubmed_title":["Abundant bacterial nucleoid-associated protein H-NS limits plasmid transfer through mechanical modification of DNA."],"pmcid":["PMC12455589"],"funding_grant_id":["31670084","32170083"],"pubmed_authors":["Zhou Q","Chen Z","Sun D","Gong M","Tian C","Fang M","Wu F","Fei M"],"additional_accession":[]},"is_claimable":false,"name":"Abundant bacterial nucleoid-associated protein H-NS limits plasmid transfer through mechanical modification of DNA.","description":"The ongoing arms race between prokaryotes and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) gives rise to a myriad of host-defense systems that detect and degrade invading nucleic acids. However, it is yet unclear whether changing the mechanical properties of nucleic acids can impact plasmid/phage invasion. Here, we demonstrate that H-NS, an abundant nucleoid-associated protein (NAP), limits plasmid transfer by directly binding to and oligomerizing along with transforming double-stranded DNA. The constitutive defense function of H-NS can be complemented by convergently evolved NAPs from different phyla. H-NS proteins form intramolecular bridges between DNA duplexes within incoming plasmids. Different from other defense systems that exist at low levels prior to detecting MGEs, major NAPs exist in high abu","dates":{"release":"2025-01-01T00:00:00Z","publication":"2025 Sep","modification":"2026-06-03T19:07:36.773Z","creation":"2026-04-30T03:12:11.075Z"},"accession":"S-EPMC12455589","cross_references":{"pubmed":["40985773"],"doi":["10.1093/nar/gkaf928"]}}