NusEs

NusEs is the plural designation used in molecular biology to refer to the NusE proteins across bacterial species. In most cases, NusE is the same protein as ribosomal protein S10, a component of the 30S small ribosomal subunit. As such, NusEs are widely conserved and primarily participate in translation, contributing to the proper assembly and function of the ribosome.

Beyond its role in translation, NusE is also a component of transcription elongation and antitermination complexes in many bacteria. In this context, NusE collaborates with other Nus factors, such as NusA, NusB, and NusG, to modulate RNA polymerase activity and suppress premature termination at specific genes. This dual function links NusEs to both translation and transcription regulation, illustrating a point of crosstalk between the two central processes of gene expression.

In certain bacteriophages, including lambda, the N protein can hijack the NusA–NusB–NusE–NusG antitermination complex to promote the readthrough of terminators and enable full transcription of phage genes. Mutations affecting NusE can impact ribosome performance and, in some cases, alter transcriptional antitermination efficiency, with potential consequences for cellular growth and gene expression patterns.

Overall, NusEs denote the NusE family of proteins, most commonly identified with ribosomal protein S10, while also serving as a key player in bacterial transcription antitermination. This dual role makes NusEs a notable example of multifunctionality in bacterial gene regulation.