AFM characterization of DNA-H-NS complexes

This project is a BSc project (15 ec = 3 months) and the research will be done in the Biophysical Engineering Group.

For more detailed information, please contact:

Martin Bennink (m.l.bennink@utwente.nl, +31 53 489 5652)

Introduction

H-NS (histone-like nucleoid structuring protein) is a protein that is involved in the compaction of bacterial DNA. The protein is known to bind two DNA strands side-by-side which effectively results in compaction of the DNA. H-NS however is only one of the proteins that is believed to be involved in the compaction of DNA in the bacterium, and there are a number of other proteins that influence the DNA packaging of H-NS. It is strongly believed that the other proteins regulate the compaction level of H-NS-DNA in order to control the level of gene expression.

Project description

In this project you will use the atomic force microscopy to image these complexes with high-resolution. Once that is achieved the influence of other proteins on this DNA-H-NS structure is to be resolved.

You will learn to use AFM under different scanning conditions, i.e. in air and in liquid, and will also conduct biochemical sample preparations.

This project is in close collaboration with the group of Antonio Juarez, Departament de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.