The Journal of Experimental Medicine
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Published online 31 March 2003 doi:10.1084/jem.20021531
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© Rockefeller University Press, 0022-1007/2003/4/813 $5.00
The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Volume 197, Number 7, 813-822

Identification and Characterization of Helicobacter pylori Genes Essential for Gastric Colonization

Holger Kavermann1, Brendan P. Burns1, Katrin Angermüller1, Stefan Odenbreit1, Wolfgang Fischer1, Klaus Melchers2 and Rainer Haas1

1 Max von Pettenkofer-Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, 80336 Munich, Germany
2 ALTANA Research Institute, Waltham, MA 02451

Address correspondence to Rainer Haas, Max von Pettenkofer-Institut, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany. Phone: 49-89-5160-5255; Fax: 49-89-5260-5223; E-mail: haas{at}m3401.mpk.med.uni-muenchen.de

Helicobacter pylori causes one of the most common, chronic bacterial infections and is a primary cause of severe gastric disorders. To unravel the bacterial factors necessary for the process of gastric colonization and pathogenesis, signature tagged mutagenesis (STM) was adapted to H. pylori. The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) was used as model system to screen a set of 960 STM mutants. This resulted in 47 H. pylori genes, assigned to 9 different functional categories, representing a set of biological functions absolutely essential for gastric colonization, as verified and quantified for many mutants by competition experiments. Identification of previously known colonization factors, such as the urease and motility functions validated this method, but also novel and several hypothetical genes were found. Interestingly, a secreted collagenase, encoded by hp0169, could be identified and functionally verified as a new essential virulence factor for H. pylori stomach colonization. Furthermore, comB4, encoding a putative ATPase being part of a DNA transformation-associated type IV transport system of H. pylori was found to be absolutely essential for colonization, but natural transformation competence was apparently not the essential function. Thus, this first systematic STM application identified a set of previously unknown H. pylori colonization factors and may help to potentiate the development of novel therapies against gastric Helicobacter infections.

Key Words: Helicobacter pylori • in vivo essential genes • signature tagged mutagenesis • gastric adaptation • collagenase


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