Effect of host species on recG phenotypes in Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Recombination is a fundamental mechanism for the generation of genetic variation. Helicobacter pylori strains have different frequencies of intragenomic recombination, arising from deletions and duplications between DNA repeat sequences, as well as intergenomic recombination, facilitated by their natural competence. We identified a gene, hp1523, that influences recombination frequencies in this highly diverse bacterium and demonstrate its importance in maintaining genomic integrity by limiting recombination events. HP1523 shows homology to RecG, an ATP-dependent helicase that in Escherichia coli allows repair of damaged replication forks to proceed without recourse to potentially mutagenic recombination. Cross-species studies done show that hp1523 can complement E. coli recG mutants in tra

SUBMITTER: Kang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC524884 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature