Nucleic acid binding properties of a helix stabilising nucleoid protein from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius that condenses DNA into compact structures.

Helix stabilising nucleoid protein (HSNP-C') from an acidothermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius has been characterised with respect to interaction with nucleic acids by gel retardation assay, binding to nucleic acid columns, fluorescence titrations and electron microscopy. The protein exists in solution as very large multimeric aggregates as indicated by cross-linking studies. The protein binds strongly and co-operatively to double stranded DNA. Electron microscopy of the complexes of the protein with DNA shows compact structures suggesting that the protein condenses DNA.