H-NS, Its Family Members and Their Regulation of Virulence Genes in Shigella Species

What is it about?

Virulence genes encoded by the large virulence plasmid are transcriptionally silenced by the nucleoid structuring protein H-NS and other family members. This review focuses on the key players, how this regulations is achieved and the molecular mechanisms that relieve this silencing.

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Why is it important?

These regulatory processes underpin the virulence of these important pathogens. Furthermore and perhaps more broadly, understanding how nucleoid remodeling occurs in bacteria is an area of intense investigation as it is central bacterial cell physiology.