Helicobacter cyclurae sp. Nov., Isolated From Endangered Blue Iguanas (Cyclura lewisi)

Blue iguanas (Cyclura lewisi) are endangered reptiles found only on Grand Cayman. Previously, DNA for a novel Helicobacter species GCBI1 was detected in sick and dead iguanas. In the current study, fecal and cloacal swab samples were obtained from 25 iguanas. Through molecular and microbiological techniques, a novel Helicobacter species was cultured from feces and characterized, for whom we propose the name Helicobacter cyclurae. This novel helicobacter had a prevalence of 56% by PCR and 20% by culture in samples analyzed. The type strain MIT 16-1353 was catalase, oxidase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase positive. By electron microscopy, H. cyclurae has a curved rod morphology and a single sheathed polar flagellum. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA, gyrB, and hsp60 indicated that these strains were most closely related to Helicobacter sp. 12502256-12 previously isolated from lizards. H. cyclurae has a 1.91-Mb genome with a GC content of 33.37%. There were 1,969 genes with four notable virulence genes: high temperature requirement-A protein-secreted serine protease, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, fibronectin/fibrinogen binding protein, and neutrophil-activating protein. Whole-genome phylogeny, average nucleotide identity, and digital DNA–DNA hybridization analysis confirmed that H. cyclurae is a novel species, and the first helicobacter cultured and characterized from blue iguanas.