Slow genetic divergence of Helicobacter pylori strains during long-term colonization.

ABSTRACT: The genetic variability of Helicobacter pylori is known to be high compared to that of many other bacterial species. H. pylori is adapted to the human stomach, where it persists for decades, and adaptation to each host results in every individual harboring a distinctive bacterial population. Although clonal variants may exist within such a population, all isolates are generally genetically related and thus derived from a common ancestor. We sought to determine the rate of genetic change of H. pylori over 9 years in two asymptomatic adult patients. Arbitrary primed PCR confirmed the relatedness of individual subclones within a patient. Furthermore, sequencing of 10 loci ( approximately 6,000 bp) in three subclones per time and patient revealed only two base pair changes among the subclones

SUBMITTER: Lundin A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1201226 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature