β-Arm flexibility of HU from Staphylococcus aureus dictates the DNA-binding and recognition mechanism

Structural analysis of apo and DNA-bound HU from S. aureus (SHU) revealed that conformational changes occur in both the protein and DNA upon DNA binding. Base-readout and shape-readout mechanisms are involved in DNA binding and recognition by SHU, in which β-arm flexibility is a major determinant.