title: Helicobacter heilmannii sp. nov., isolated from feline gastric mucosa.
abstract: Three gram-negative, microaerophilic bacteria, strains ASB1(T), ASB2 and ASB3, with a corkscrew-like morphology isolated from the gastric mucosa of cats were studied using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The isolates grew on biphasic culture plates under microaerobic conditions at 37 °C and exhibited urease, oxidase and catalase activities. They were also able to grow in colonies on dry agar plates. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, ASB1(T), ASB2 and ASB3 were identified as members of the genus Helicobacter and showed 98 to 99 % sequence similarity to strains of Helicobacter felis, Helicobacter bizzozeronii, 'Candidatus Helicobacter heilmannii', Helicobacter cynogastricus, Helicobacter baculiformis and Helicobacter salomonis, six related Helicobacter species previously detected in feline or canine gastric mucosa. Sequencing of the partial hsp60 gene demonstrated that ASB1(T), ASB2 and ASB3 constitute a separate taxon among the feline and canine Helicobacter species. The urease gene sequences of ASB1(T), ASB2 and ASB3 showed approximately 91 % similarity to those of 'Candidatus Helicobacter heilmannii'. Protein profiling, the absence of alkaline phosphatase activity and several other biochemical characteristics also allowed strains ASB1(T), ASB2 and ASB3 to be differentiated from other Helicobacter species of feline or canine gastric origin. The results of this polyphasic taxonomic study show that the cultured isolates constitute a new taxon corresponding to 'Candidatus Helicobacter heilmannii', which was previously demonstrated in the stomach of humans, wild felidae, cats and dogs. The name Helicobacter heilmannii sp. nov. is proposed for these isolates; the type strain is ASB1(T) (=DSM 24751 (T) =LMG 26292(T)) [corrected].
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smet
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flahou
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: D'Herde
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandamme
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cleenwerck
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ducatelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pasmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D004285:Dogs; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018247:Helicobacter heilmannii / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D014510:Urease / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014510:Urease