CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE FUR GENE FROM HELICOBACTER-PYLORI

The fur homologue of Helicobacter pylori was isolated by screening a p lasmid-based, genomic DNA library using the Fur titration assay (FURTA ). The analysis of the DNA sequence revealed significant homology with Fur proteins from various other bacterial species. The highest degree of homology was observed for the Fur protein from Campylobacter jejun i. The H. pylori fur gene on a plasmid could partially complement the fur mutation in Escherichia coli strain H1681. The repressor activity depended on addition of iron to the medium indicating that iron acts a s a co-repressor for the H. pylori protein similar to Fur from other b acteria: Comparison of Fur from H. pylori strain NCTC11638 with the re cently published genomic DNA sequence of another strain (26695) confir med the identity of the fur homologue and revealed that the fur locus is highly conserved in both strains. (C) 1998 Federation of European M icrobiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.