Rapid evolution of distinct Helicobacter pylori subpopulations in the Americas

For the last 500 years, the Americas have been a melting pot both for genetically diverse humans and for the pathogenic and commensal organisms associated with them. One such organism is the stomach-dwelling bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is highly prevalent in Latin America where it is a majo...

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Published in:	PLoS genetics 2017-02, Vol.13 (2), p.e1006546
Main Authors:	Thorell, Kaisa, Yahara, Koji, Berthenet, Elvire, Lawson, Daniel J, Mikhail, Jane, Kato, Ikuko, Mendez, Alfonso, Rizzato, Cosmeri, Bravo, María Mercedes, Suzuki, Rumiko, Yamaoka, Yoshio, Torres, Javier, Sheppard, Samuel K, Falush, Daniel
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Alleles Bacteria Biology Biology and Life Sciences DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics Evolution, Molecular Funding Genealogy Genes Genetic aspects Genome, Bacterial Genomes Health care Helicobacter Infections - epidemiology Helicobacter Infections - genetics Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter pylori - genetics Helicobacter pylori - pathogenicity Humans Indians, North American Infectious diseases Latin America Medicin och hälsovetenskap Medicine and Health Sciences People and Places Phylogeny Population Preventive medicine Research and Analysis Methods Stomach Stomach Neoplasms - epidemiology Stomach Neoplasms - genetics Stomach Neoplasms - microbiology Studies University faculty White People
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Summary:	For the last 500 years, the Americas have been a melting pot both for genetically diverse humans and for the pathogenic and commensal organisms associated with them. One such organism is the stomach-dwelling bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is highly prevalent in Latin America where it is a major current public health challenge because of its strong association with gastric cancer. By analyzing the genome sequence of H. pylori isolated in North, Central and South America, we found evidence for admixture between H. pylori of European and African origin throughout the Americas, without substantial input from pre-Columbian (hspAmerind) bacteria. In the US, strains of African and European origin have remained genetically distinct, while in Colombia and Nicaragua, bottlenecks and rampant genetic exchange amongst isolates have led to the formation of national gene pools. We found three outer membrane proteins with atypical levels of Asian ancestry in American strains, as well as alleles that were nearly fixed specifically in South American isolates, suggesting a role for the ethnic makeup of hosts in the colonization of incoming strains. Our results show that new H. pylori subpopulations can rapidly arise, spread and adapt during times of demographic flux, and suggest that differences in transmission ecology between high and low prevalence areas may substantially affect the composition of bacterial populations.
ISSN:	1553-7404 1553-7390 1553-7404