| Akkermansia biwaensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Pseudomonadati |
| Phylum: | Verrucomicrobiota |
| Class: | Verrucomicrobiae |
| Order: | Verrucomicrobiales |
| Family: | Akkermansiaceae |
| Genus: | Akkermansia |
| Species: | A. biwaensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Akkermansia biwaensis Kobayashi et al. 2023 | |
Akkermansia biwaensis is a species of bacteria found in the human gut microbiome.
The type strain of A. biwaensis was isolated in Japan in 2023 from the feces of healthy adults. [1] It was delineated from other Akkermansia species on the basis of differences in the 16S gene sequence; in previous studies, it was considered to be a phylogroup of Akkermansia muciniphila , specifically the AmIV phylogroup. It is named after Lake Biwa, which is near the place of origin of the type strain. [1]
Akkermansia biwaensis is oval-shaped, gram-negative, catalase-positive, and non-motile, with cell lengths ranging from 0.5–1.0 µm. [1] Growth has been observed between 25–45°C, with optimal temperatures ranging between 30–37°C. Colonies have been described cream-colored with round edges. [1]
Like other Akkermansia spp., A. biwaensis is capable of utilizing mucin as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Other available energy sources include glucose and lactose; no growth has been observed on other common sugars such as galactose, fructose, or fucose. [1]
Akkermansia biwaensis, although relatively rare in the human gut microbiome, may be linked to lower obesity rates in children; however, its low prevalence makes it difficult to study its impact on human health. [2] It is capable of metabolizing human milk oligosaccharides, enabling it to colonize infants. [3]
In addition to humans, A. biwaensis has also been found to colonize mouse microbiomes. [4]