Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1991 Mar;173(6):1920–1931. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.6.1920-1931.1991

Shuttle cloning and nucleotide sequences of Helicobacter pylori genes responsible for urease activity.

A Labigne 1, V Cussac 1, P Courcoux 1
PMCID: PMC207722  PMID: 2001995

Abstract

Production of a potent urease has been described as a trait common to all Helicobacter pylori so far isolated from humans with gastritis as well as peptic ulceration. The detection of urease activity from genes cloned from H. pylori was made possible by use of a shuttle cosmid vector, allowing replication and movement of cloned DNA sequences in either Escherichia coli or Campylobacter jejuni. With this approach, we cloned a 44-kb portion of H. pylori chromosomal DNA which did not lead to urease activity when introduced into E. coli but permitted, although temporarily, biosynthesis of the urease when transferred by conjugation to C. jejuni. The recombinant cosmid (pILL585) expressing the urease phenotype was mapped and used to subclone an 8.1-kb fragment (pILL590) able to confer the same property to C. jejuni recipient strains. By a series of deletions and subclonings, the urease genes were localized to a 4.2-kb region of DNA and were sequenced by the dideoxy method. Four open reading frames were found, encoding polypeptides with predicted molecular weights of 26,500 (ureA), 61,600 (ureB), 49,200 (ureC), and 15,000 (ureD). The predicted UreA and UreB polypeptides correspond to the two structural subunits of the urease enzyme; they exhibit a high degree of homology with the three structural subunits of Proteus mirabilis (56% exact matches) as well as with the unique structural subunit of jack bean urease (55.5% exact matches). Although the UreD-predicted polypeptide has domains relevant to transmembrane proteins, no precise role could be attributed to this polypeptide or to the UreC polypeptide, which both mapped to a DNA sequence shown to be required to confer urease activity to a C. jejuni recipient strain.

Full text

PDF
1920

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adler H. I., Fisher W. D., Cohen A., Hardigree A. A. MINIATURE escherichia coli CELLS DEFICIENT IN DNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Feb;57(2):321–326. doi: 10.1073/pnas.57.2.321. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blanchard A. Ureaplasma urealyticum urease genes; use of a UGA tryptophan codon. Mol Microbiol. 1990 Apr;4(4):669–676. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1990.tb00636.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Boehm D. F., Welch R. A., Snyder I. S. Domains of Escherichia coli hemolysin (HlyA) involved in binding of calcium and erythrocyte membranes. Infect Immun. 1990 Jun;58(6):1959–1964. doi: 10.1128/iai.58.6.1959-1964.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Boyer H. W., Roulland-Dussoix D. A complementation analysis of the restriction and modification of DNA in Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1969 May 14;41(3):459–472. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(69)90288-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Buck G. E. Campylobacter pylori and gastroduodenal disease. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1990 Jan;3(1):1–12. doi: 10.1128/cmr.3.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Clayton C. L., Pallen M. J., Kleanthous H., Wren B. W., Tabaqchali S. Nucleotide sequence of two genes from Helicobacter pylori encoding for urease subunits. Nucleic Acids Res. 1990 Jan 25;18(2):362–362. doi: 10.1093/nar/18.2.362. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Clayton C. L., Wren B. W., Mullany P., Topping A., Tabaqchali S. Molecular cloning and expression of Campylobacter pylori species-specific antigens in Escherichia coli K-12. Infect Immun. 1989 Feb;57(2):623–629. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.2.623-629.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dunn B. E., Campbell G. P., Perez-Perez G. I., Blaser M. J. Purification and characterization of urease from Helicobacter pylori. J Biol Chem. 1990 Jun 5;265(16):9464–9469. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dunn B. E., Perez-Perez G. I., Blaser M. J. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting of Campylobacter pylori proteins. Infect Immun. 1989 Jun;57(6):1825–1833. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.6.1825-1833.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Evans D. G., Evans D. J., Jr, Graham D. Y. Receptor-mediated adherence of Campylobacter pylori to mouse Y-1 adrenal cell monolayers. Infect Immun. 1989 Aug;57(8):2272–2278. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.8.2272-2278.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Evans D. J., Jr, Evans D. G., Smith K. E., Graham D. Y. Serum antibody responses to the N-acetylneuraminyllactose-binding hemagglutinin of Campylobacter pylori. Infect Immun. 1989 Mar;57(3):664–667. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.3.664-667.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Evans R. M., Hollenberg S. M. Zinc fingers: gilt by association. Cell. 1988 Jan 15;52(1):1–3. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90522-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Feinberg A. P., Vogelstein B. A technique for radiolabeling DNA restriction endonuclease fragments to high specific activity. Anal Biochem. 1983 Jul 1;132(1):6–13. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(83)90418-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Figurski D. H., Helinski D. R. Replication of an origin-containing derivative of plasmid RK2 dependent on a plasmid function provided in trans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Apr;76(4):1648–1652. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.4.1648. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Gill R. E., Heffron F., Falkow S. Identification of the protein encoded by the transposable element Tn3 which is required for its transposition. Nature. 1979 Dec 20;282(5741):797–801. doi: 10.1038/282797a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Hazell S. L., Lee A., Brady L., Hennessy W. Campylobacter pyloridis and gastritis: association with intercellular spaces and adaptation to an environment of mucus as important factors in colonization of the gastric epithelium. J Infect Dis. 1986 Apr;153(4):658–663. doi: 10.1093/infdis/153.4.658. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Hazell S. L., Lee A. Campylobacter pyloridis, urease, hydrogen ion back diffusion, and gastric ulcers. Lancet. 1986 Jul 5;2(8497):15–17. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)92561-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Hopp T. P., Woods K. R. Prediction of protein antigenic determinants from amino acid sequences. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Jun;78(6):3824–3828. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.6.3824. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hu L. T., Mobley H. L. Purification and N-terminal analysis of urease from Helicobacter pylori. Infect Immun. 1990 Apr;58(4):992–998. doi: 10.1128/iai.58.4.992-998.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Hull R. A., Gill R. E., Hsu P., Minshew B. H., Falkow S. Construction and expression of recombinant plasmids encoding type 1 or D-mannose-resistant pili from a urinary tract infection Escherichia coli isolate. Infect Immun. 1981 Sep;33(3):933–938. doi: 10.1128/iai.33.3.933-938.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Hupertz V., Czinn S. Demonstration of a cytotoxin from Campylobacter pylori. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 1988 Aug;7(4):576–578. doi: 10.1007/BF01962619. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Jones B. D., Mobley H. L. Proteus mirabilis urease: nucleotide sequence determination and comparison with jack bean urease. J Bacteriol. 1989 Dec;171(12):6414–6422. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.12.6414-6422.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Labigne-Roussel A., Courcoux P., Tompkins L. Gene disruption and replacement as a feasible approach for mutagenesis of Campylobacter jejuni. J Bacteriol. 1988 Apr;170(4):1704–1708. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.4.1704-1708.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Labigne-Roussel A., Harel J., Tompkins L. Gene transfer from Escherichia coli to Campylobacter species: development of shuttle vectors for genetic analysis of Campylobacter jejuni. J Bacteriol. 1987 Nov;169(11):5320–5323. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.11.5320-5323.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Laemmli U. K. Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature. 1970 Aug 15;227(5259):680–685. doi: 10.1038/227680a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Levi S., Beardshall K., Haddad G., Playford R., Ghosh P., Calam J. Campylobacter pylori and duodenal ulcers: the gastrin link. Lancet. 1989 May 27;1(8648):1167–1168. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(89)92752-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Messing J., Vieira J. A new pair of M13 vectors for selecting either DNA strand of double-digest restriction fragments. Gene. 1982 Oct;19(3):269–276. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(82)90016-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Mobley H. L., Hausinger R. P. Microbial ureases: significance, regulation, and molecular characterization. Microbiol Rev. 1989 Mar;53(1):85–108. doi: 10.1128/mr.53.1.85-108.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Morett E., Buck M. In vivo studies on the interaction of RNA polymerase-sigma 54 with the Klebsiella pneumoniae and Rhizobium meliloti nifH promoters. The role of NifA in the formation of an open promoter complex. J Mol Biol. 1989 Nov 5;210(1):65–77. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(89)90291-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Mörsdorf G., Kaltwasser H. Cloning of the genes encoding urease from Proteus vulgaris and sequencing of the structural genes. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1990 Jan 1;54(1-3):67–73. doi: 10.1016/0378-1097(90)90260-w. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Nakazawa T., Ishibashi M., Konishi H., Takemoto T., Shigeeda M., Kochiyama T. Hemagglutination activity of Campylobacter pylori. Infect Immun. 1989 Mar;57(3):989–991. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.3.989-991.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Neman-Simha V., Mégraud F. In vitro model for Campylobacter pylori adherence properties. Infect Immun. 1988 Dec;56(12):3329–3333. doi: 10.1128/iai.56.12.3329-3333.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Prentki P., Krisch H. M. In vitro insertional mutagenesis with a selectable DNA fragment. Gene. 1984 Sep;29(3):303–313. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(84)90059-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Rosenberg M., Court D. Regulatory sequences involved in the promotion and termination of RNA transcription. Annu Rev Genet. 1979;13:319–353. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.13.120179.001535. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Sanger F., Coulson A. R., Barrell B. G., Smith A. J., Roe B. A. Cloning in single-stranded bacteriophage as an aid to rapid DNA sequencing. J Mol Biol. 1980 Oct 25;143(2):161–178. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(80)90196-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Sanger F., Nicklen S., Coulson A. R. DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Dec;74(12):5463–5467. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.12.5463. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Sarosiek J., Slomiany A., Slomiany B. L. Evidence for weakening of gastric mucus integrity by Campylobacter pylori. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1988 Jun;23(5):585–590. doi: 10.3109/00365528809093916. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Shine J., Dalgarno L. The 3'-terminal sequence of Escherichia coli 16S ribosomal RNA: complementarity to nonsense triplets and ribosome binding sites. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Apr;71(4):1342–1346. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.4.1342. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Smoot D. T., Mobley H. L., Chippendale G. R., Lewison J. F., Resau J. H. Helicobacter pylori urease activity is toxic to human gastric epithelial cells. Infect Immun. 1990 Jun;58(6):1992–1994. doi: 10.1128/iai.58.6.1992-1994.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Southern E. M. Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis. J Mol Biol. 1975 Nov 5;98(3):503–517. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(75)80083-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Takishima K., Suga T., Mamiya G. The structure of jack bean urease. The complete amino acid sequence, limited proteolysis and reactive cysteine residues. Eur J Biochem. 1988 Jul 15;175(1):151–165. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1988.tb14177.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Unidentified curved bacilli on gastric epithelium in active chronic gastritis. Lancet. 1983 Jun 4;1(8336):1273–1275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Walker J. E., Saraste M., Runswick M. J., Gay N. J. Distantly related sequences in the alpha- and beta-subunits of ATP synthase, myosin, kinases and other ATP-requiring enzymes and a common nucleotide binding fold. EMBO J. 1982;1(8):945–951. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1982.tb01276.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Winship P. R. An improved method for directly sequencing PCR amplified material using dimethyl sulphoxide. Nucleic Acids Res. 1989 Feb 11;17(3):1266–1266. doi: 10.1093/nar/17.3.1266. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES