The expression of the Helicobacter pylori genes ureA and nap is higher in vivo than in vitro as measured by quantitative competitive reverse transcriptase-PCR

The expression of the virulence-associated genes ureA, encoding the urease subunit A. and nap, encoding the neutrophil activating protein, in Helicobacter pylori grown both in the stomach of C57/B16 mice and in Brucella broth was quantified by quantitative competitive reverse transcriptase-PCR using a homologous RNA standard (competitor) and an external standard (16S rRNA). The results showed that the ureA and nap transcripts were increased up to 15 and 80 times. respectively. in vivo compared to in vitro. The transcription of ureA and nap also differed in that ureA showed highest expression early in infection in mice whereas nap transcription was variable throughout the 18-week infection period. (C) 2002 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.