Evolution of the Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin in a human stomach.
We describe two subclones of Helicobacter pylori, isolated contemporaneously from a human stomach, which differ markedly in the vacuolating cytotoxin gene, vacA, but whose near identity in sequences outside this locus implies a very recent common origin. The differences are consistent with homologous recombination with DNA from another strain and result in a changed vacA midregion and, importantly, in changed toxicity.
Aviles-Jimenez
Francisco
F
Wolfson Digestive Diseases Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom.
Letley
Darren P
DP
Gonzalez-Valencia
Gerardo
G
Salama
Nina
N
Torres
Javier
J
Atherton
John C
JC
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori