The Helicobacter pylori genomes: new insights into physiopathology and therapeutic

Examination of the two genome sequences of H. pylori has already identified new putative virulence factors, unravelled basic metabolic pathways, and p rovided further information on genetic organisation and the regulation of g ene expression. In the future, the genomes of these isolates will greatly f acilitate research into specific areas of this bacteria's biology, such as iron regulation, the role of recently identified adhesins, and the relative importance of antigenic variation of LPS in vivo. It will also enable rese archers to adopt a more global approach to the study of H. pylori and will allow: (1) examination of the genetic diversity of clinical isolates (gene polymorphism and diversity in genomic complement and organisation); (2) cha racterisation of differential gene expression of clinical isolates in relat ion to in vitro and in vivo conditions; (3) identification of genes essenti al for colonisation of the gastric mucosa. Finally, it already served for t he development of systematic strategies to identify protective antigens for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine development as well as for the search of essential and conserved targets for development of new drugs.