This is a family of DNA-mimic proteins expressed by Neisseria species. In its monomeric form DMP12 interacts with the Neisseria dimeric form of the bacterial histone-like protein HU. HU proteins promote the assembly of higher-order DNA-protein structures, The interaction between DMP12 and HU protein may be instrumental in controlling the stability of the nucleoid in Neisseria as DMP12 prevents Neisseria HU protein from being digested by trypsin [1].

1: Neisseria conserved hypothetical protein DMP12 is a DNA mimic that binds to histone-like HU protein. Wang HC, Wu ML, Ko TP, Wang AH; Nucleic Acids Res. 2013;41:5127-5138. PMID:23531546