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Restriction–modification systems may be associated with Helicobacter pylori virulence
Author(s) -
Ando Takafumi,
Ishiguro Kazuhiro,
Watanabe Osamu,
Miyake Nobuyuki,
Kato Tsuyoshi,
Hibi Satoshi,
Mimura Shunya,
Nakamura Masanao,
Miyahara Ryoji,
Ohmiya Naoki,
Niwa Yasumasa,
Goto Hidemi
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2009.06211.x
Subject(s) - helicobacter pylori , gene , pathogenicity island , virulence , biology , genetics , genome , homology (biology) , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , population , bacterial genome size , medicine , environmental health
Restriction–modification (R‐M) systems are exclusive to unicellular organisms and ubiquitous in the bacterial world. Bacteria use R‐M systems as a defense against invasion by foreign DNA. Analysis of the genome sequences of Helicobacter pylori strains 26 695 and J99 identified an extraordinary number of genes with homology to R‐M genes in other bacterial species. All H. pylori strains possess their own unique complement of active R‐M systems. All of the methylases that have been studied so far were present in all major human population groupings, suggesting that their horizontal acquisition pre‐dated the separation of these populations. The two most strongly conserved methylase genes of H. pylori , hpy IM and hpy IIIM , are both preceded by alternative genes that compete for presence at their loci, and furthermore these genes may be associated with H. pylori pathogenicity. Further study should investigate the roles of H. pylori R‐M systems.