Question

Helicobacter pylori is a microbe that can survive the inhospitable environment of the stomach and cause stomach ulcers and cancer. Each one of the following treatments would reduce the ability of H. pylori to deal with the acidic environment of the stomach EXCEPT:

1) Inhibition of urease activity in the bacteria
2) Inhibition of secretion of the effector CagA
3) Inhibition of urea transport into the cell
4) Inhibition of the formation of flagella

Answer 1

Inhibition of urease activity in H. pylori would reduce its ability to survive the acidic environment of the stomach.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ability of H. pylori to survive the low pH of the stomach is due to its production of urease, which breaks down urea to form NH4+ and CO2. The ammonium ion raises the pH of the immediate environment, creating a more neutral microenvironment for the bacterium. Therefore, inhibition of urease activity in the bacteria would reduce the ability of H. pylori to deal with the acidic environment of the stomach.