The L17 ribosomal protein of Bacillus subtilis binds preferentially to curved DNA

We searched in Bacillus subtilis for proteins that bind preferentially to c urved DNA, Two proteins of 9 and 15 kDa displaying this property were purif ied from exponentially growing cells of B. subtilis strain 168. Sequencing of N-terminal amino acids identified them as the proteins HBsu and L17 resp ectively. The overproduction of L17 from B. subtilis in Escherichia coli wa s shown to have a strong effect on nucleoid morphology and segregation. (C) 2000 Societe francaise de biochimie et biologie moleculaire/ Editions scie ntifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.