Korean Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition  2001;4(2):155-160

Helicobacter pylori vacA Mosaicism and New Primers for vacA Signal Sequence Indigenous to Korea.

Yeon Hwa AHN 1 ; Heung Ryel KIM ; Ji Eun LEE ; Tae Sook HWANG ; Yon Ho CHOE

Affiliations

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Keywords

Helicobacter pylori; vacA; Allele; Signal sequence; Mid-region

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

PURPOSE: Helicobacter pylori has been known to have diverse vacA allelic types. The purpose of the study was to identify vacA diversity in Korea and design new primers for signal sequence alleles indigenous to Korea. METHODS: Fifty antral biopsy specimens, which had been proven to be H. pylori-positive, were examined for vacA status; signal sequence and mid-region. After PCR amplification and DNA sequencing, vacA alleles of Korean H. pylori strains were compared with those from other countries. RESULTS: Among Korean H. pylori strains vacA alleles with all combinations of signal sequence and mid-region were found, with the exception of s1b or s2. vacA genotype s1c/m1 was predominant in Korea. We found that GGGAGCGTTR in s1a and GGGGYTATTG in s1c were the indigenous sequences to Korea and constructed the new Korean specific primers for the vacA signal sequence; VASK-F, VASK-R, S1AK-F, and S1CK-F. CONCLUSION: This study showed that s1c/m1 is the predominant type of vacA allele in Korea. We designed new primers for the vacA signal sequence.