Structural Basis of H-NS-Mediated Temperature-Dependent Stimulation of Initial Growth in Escherichia coli.

Abstract

Bacteria have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to sense and adapt to environmental shifts, particularly when transitioning into the stable, warm temperatures of a host organism. Escherichia coli, a primary inhabitant of the warm-blooded host gut, must rapidly initiate growth upon entry to ensure reproductive success. In this study, we demonstrate that the specific growth rate at the onset of the logarithmic phase (defined as at ODratio=0.2) is specifically stimulated across a medium temperature range (30{degrees}C-42{degrees}C), peaking near the physiological temperature of 37{degrees}C. This adaptive response is strain-specific and depends on both the histone-like nucleoid-associated protein (NAP) H-NS and the presence of the Rac prophage. Using high-frequency automated growth monitoring and statistical modeling, we redefine H-NS not merely as a gene silencer but as a critical "nucleoid structural organizer". Our results indicate that H-NS undergoes a conformational switch at approximately 37{degrees}C, transitioning into a parallel form that provides the necessary physical scaffold for nucleoid reorganization. This reorganization is essential for coordinating transcription and replication during the rapid onset of growth. Crucially, we resolve the "silencing paradox": while H-NS silencing is traditionally thought to be weakened at 37{degrees}C, hns-deficient mutants grow significantly slower because they lack this essential structural scaffold. We conclude that the H-NS-mediated physical organization of the genome is more critical for host adaptation than the mere de-repression of the genomic reservoir, enabling E. coli to effectively transition into a high-growth state for successful host colonization.