Characterization of Helicobacter pylori strain KMT83 releasing KHP40 phages

Helicobacter pylori is the causative agent of gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric cancer in humans. The Schmidvirus genus is the only known phage group that infects H. pylori. However, the details of its life cycle are unknown. The goal of this project is to clarify the presence of KHP40 phage DNA in H. pylori strain KMT83. H. pylori strain KMT83 spontaneously releases KHP40 phage during culture. In the KMT83 strain, the KHP40 phage DNA is expected to be inserted into the bacterial genome or exist independently of the bacterial genome as an episome. The goal of this project is to clarify the presence of KHP40 phage DNA in H. pylori strain KMT83.