Dong QJ, Wang LL, Tian ZB, Yu XJ, Jia SJ, Xuan SY. Reduced genome size of
Helicobacter pylori originating from East Asia.
World J Gastroenterol 2014;
20:5666-5671. [PMID:
24914326 PMCID:
PMC4024775 DOI:
10.3748/wjg.v20.i19.5666]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2013] [Revised: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a major pathogen colonizing the human stomach, shows great genetic variation. Comparative analysis of strains from different H. pylori populations revealed that the genome size of strains from East Asia decreased to 1.60 Mbp, which is significantly smaller than that from Europe or Africa. In parallel with the genome reduction, the number of protein coding genes was decreased, and the guanine-cytosine content was lowered to 38.9%. Elimination of non-essential genes by mutations is likely to be a major cause of the genome reduction. Bacteria with a small genome cost less energy. Thus, H. pylori strains from East Asia may have proliferation and growth advantages over those from Western countries. This could result in enhanced capacity of bacterial spreading. Therefore, the reduced genome size potentially contributes to the high prevalence of H. pylori in East Asia.
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