Effect of Temperature on the Protective Properties of the Escherichia coli DNA-Binding Protein Dps under Desiccation Stress

Adaptive mechanisms allow bacteria to survive even under extreme desiccation, which they face both in the natural environment and in biotechnological processes. The DNA-binding protein Dps plays an important role in this process. In the present work, we revealed the protective properties of the Dps protein under desiccation stress to depend on both the cultivation temperature and the temperature of the subsequent desiccation process. The experimental data obtained were successfully predicted by the calculations performed using modern classical molecular dynamics methods. The results of the study are important for applications in biotechnological production and microbial collections.