title: Helicobacter pylori genomic microevolution during naturally occurring transmission between adults.
abstract: The human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori is usually acquired during childhood and, in the absence of treatment, chronic infection persists through most of the host's life. However, the frequency and importance of H. pylori transmission between adults is underestimated. Here we sequenced the complete genomes of H. pylori strains that were transmitted between spouses and analysed the genomic changes. Similar to H. pylori from chronic infection, a significantly high proportion of the determined 31 SNPs and 10 recombinant DNA fragments affected genes of the hop family of outer membrane proteins, some of which are known to be adhesins. In addition, changes in a fucosyltransferase gene modified the LPS component of the bacterial cell surface, suggesting strong diversifying selection. In contrast, virulence factor genes were not affected by the genomic changes. We propose a model of the genomic changes that are associated with the transmission and adaptation of H. pylori to a new human host.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America ; Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
authors: Bodo
authors: B
authors: Linz
authors: Helen M
authors: HM
authors: Windsor
authors: John P
authors: JP
authors: Gajewski
authors: Caylie M
authors: CM
authors: Hake
authors: Daniela I
authors: DI
authors: Drautz
authors: Stephan C
authors: SC
authors: Schuster
authors: Barry J
authors: BJ
authors: Marshall
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000635:transmission*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial