Recent Advances in Helicobacter pylori Replication: Possible Implications in Adaptation to a Pathogenic Lifestyle and Perspectives for Drug Design

Abstract

DNA replication is an important step in the life cycle of every cell that ensures the continuous flow of genetic information from one generation to the next. In all organisms, chromosome replication must be coordinated with overall cell growth. Helicobacter pylori growth strongly depends on its interaction with the host, particularly with the gastric epithelium. Moreover, H. pylori actively searches for an optimal microniche within a stomach, and it has been shown that not every microniche equally supports growth of this bacterium. We postulate that besides nutrients, H. pylori senses different, unknown signals, which presumably also affect chromosome replication to maintain H. pylori propagation at optimal ratio allowing H. pylori to establish a chronic, lifelong infection. Thus, H. pylori chromosome replication and particularly the regulation of this process might be considered important for bacterial pathogenesis. Here, we summarize our current knowledge of chromosome and plasmid replication in H. pylori and discuss the mechanisms responsible for regulating this key cellular process. The results of extensive studies conducted thus far allow us to propose common and unique traits in H. pylori chromosome replication. Interestingly, the repertoire of proteins involved in replication in H. pylori is significantly different to that in E. coli, strongly suggesting that novel factors are engaged in H. pylori chromosome replication and could represent attractive drug targets.

The role of Helicobacter pylori DnaA domain I in orisome assembly on a bipartite origin of chromosome replication

“…The DnaA boxes insensitive to the DNA topology (classic (c) boxes) and the topology‐sensitive (ts) DnaA boxes and DUE are marked. See also the Introduction and (Donczew et al, ; Zawilak‐Pawlik & Zakrzewska‐Czerwińska, ) for details. (b–d) Sensograms presenting the DnaA– oriC1 interactions.…”

Advancements in CRISPR-Based Biosensing for Next-Gen Point of Care Diagnostic Application

“…H. pylori has established itself as an efficient bacterium owing to its quick adaptation in areas such as the stomach and duodenum, and various mutated strains were found to be living in the gastric area [78]. H. pylori has shown that it has vast genetic diversity, starting from genetic mosaicism to polymorphisms of nucleotides; this was found through analysis of its genome [79].…”

Detection and variability analyses of CRISPR-like loci in theH. pylorigenome

“…It is well established that H. pylori is a highly competent bacterium, and different strains can be found living together in the gastric environment, bringing the populations of H. pylori closer to panmixia (Kang & Blaser, 2006; Suerbaum et al, 1998). Genome comparative analyses from diverse origins have shown that this bacterium shows a high degree of genetic diversity, ranging from nucleotide polymorphisms to genetic mosaicism (Zawilak-Pawlik & Zakrzewska-Czerwińska, 2017).…”