Metastability of Helicobacter pylori bab adhesin genes and dynamics in Lewis b antigen binding.

ABSTRACT: Heterogeneity among Helicobacter pylori strains in gastric epithelial adherence is postulated to contribute to pathogen fitness in the physiologically diverse human population. H. pylori adherence to ABO and Lewis b (Leb) blood group antigens in the human stomach is mediated by the blood group antigen-binding adhesin BabA. Approximately 70% of Swedish and U.S. H. pylori clinical isolates exhibit Leb binding, but here we show that the babA gene is present in each of 10 Leb-nonbinding strains. Fluorescence microscopy identified occasional bacterial cells with a Leb-binding phenotype in populations of Leb-nonbinding strains. Thus, nonbinding seemed to be a metastable phenotype. To model metastable transition into the virulence-associated Leb-binding mode, Leb-binding clones were isolated from

SUBMITTER: Backstrom A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC534723 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature