Helicobacter pylori arginase mutant colonizes arginase II knockout mice

Figure 1 Overview of possible urea sources for Helicobacter pylori urease. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) urease is essential for colonization of mice, which indicates that the substrate for the enzyme, urea, is also essential. This study examines the three possible arginase-mediated sources for the urea (underlined): arginase from H. pylori (RocF), arginase I (host) and arginase  II  (host). Another possible urea source is host agmatinase. H. pylori does not have an agmatinase, but does have an enzyme, arginine decarboxylase, that can synthesize agmatine. Arginine is an essential amino acid for H. pylori and serves as a substrate for both arginase and arginine decarboxylase.