H-NS chromatin-structuring protein. Molecular model of the oligomerization domain of the H-NS protein from the Escherichia coli bacterium. This dimeric molecule folds in on itself, as shown here. This is thought to form the basis of the packaging of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in bacterial cells, with the H-NS protein forming part of the scaffolding on which the DNA is wound to form chromatin. Chromatin is the term given to the combination of DNA and proteins found in cell nuclei.