- Helicobacter gammari is a recently discovered Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the enterohepatic group of Helicobacter species.
- Isolated from the intestinal tract of freshwater amphipods (Gammarus pulex), this species represents the first Helicobacter identified in crustaceans, expanding the known ecological range of this medically important genus.
- The bacterium was characterized in 2019 through a combination of cultivation, microscopy, and molecular techniques, revealing unique adaptations to its aquatic invertebrate host.
- Morphologically, H. gammari displays the characteristic spiral shape and multiple flagella typical of the genus, though with distinct ultrastructural features observed via electron microscopy.
- Unlike gastric helicobacters, it lacks strong urease activity, consistent with its intestinal rather than gastric niche.
- Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and other housekeeping genes places it in a distinct clade separate from mammalian-associated species, suggesting a long evolutionary history in aquatic environments.
- The discovery of H. gammari has important implications for understanding Helicobacter evolution and ecology.
- As an environmental Helicobacter from a cold-blooded host, it provides insights into the ancestral characteristics of the genus before its radiation into mammalian systems.
- Current research focuses on its potential role in crustacean health and possible interactions with other aquatic organisms, though its pathogenicity remains unknown.
- The type strain, H. gammari G7.2T (=DSM 109730T=LMG 31260T), serves as a reference for further studies of this ecologically distinct Helicobacter.
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