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It was aimed to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter in some reptilian and amphibian species in Türkiye and to describe the bacteria. For this purpose, 73 cloacal swab samples were used as material. The description of the isolates was performed by detailed phenotypic tests, whole genome analyses, and MALDI-TOF MS. As a result of the phenotypic analysis, two helical, curved Gram-negative, motile isolates were recovered. It was determined through the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences that two isolates belonged to the genus Helicobacter. These isolates were found to be in a distinct group from other Helicobacter species. However, the 16S rRNA sequence did not match any identified species, with the closest match being Helicobacter mustelae strain R85-13-6 T , which had an identity level of 96.2 %. Additionally, it was found that strains faydin-H75 T and faydin-H76 had a 99.3 % identity level for their 16S rRNA genes. After conducting dDDH and ANI analyses, it was found that strains faydin-H75 T and their close neighbors H.anseris ATCC BAA-1299 T shared 13.5 % and 68.8 % similarity, respectively. The genome size of the strains was 1.7 Mb while G + C contents were 33.5 %. Metagenomic analyses using IMNGS and Protologger tools revealed the presence of faydin-H75 T in various lizard species with high similarity, confirming its broad distribution and host specificity. The results indicated that these two strains represent a novel species, for which we propose the name Helicobacter cappadocius with faydin-H75 T (=NCTC014972 = LMG 33382 = DSM117062) as the respective type strain. The current novel species is the first Helicobacter species to exhibit a psychrotrophic feature., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

A total of 26 Gram-negative, motile, gently curved, and rod-shaped isolates were recovered, during a study to determine the faeco-prevalence of Helicobacter spp. in urban wild birds. Pairwise comparisons of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that these isolates belonged to the genus Helicobacter and phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolates were separated into two divergent groups. The first group consisted of 20 urease-positive isolates sharing the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity levels of 98.5-98.6% to H. mustelae ATCC 43772 T , while the second group contained six urease-negative isolates with the sequence identity level of 98.5% to the type strain of H. pametensis ATCC 51478 T . Five isolates were chosen and subjected to comparative whole-genome analysis. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA, gyrA and atpA gene sequences showed that Helicobacter isolates formed two separate phylogenetic clades, differentiating the isolates from the other Helicobacter species. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) analyses between strains faydin-H8 T , faydin-H23 T and their close neighbors H. anseris MIT 04-9362 T and H. pametensis ATCC 51478 T , respectively, confirmed that both strains represent novel species in the genus Helicobacter. The DNA G+C contents of the strains faydin-H8 T and faydin-H23 T are 32.0% and 37.6%, respectively. The results obtained for the characterization of the wild bird isolates indicate that they represent two novel species, for which the names Helicobacter anatolicus sp. nov., and Helicobacter kayseriensis sp. nov., are proposed, with faydin-H8 T (=LMG 32237 T  = DSM 112312 T ) and faydin-H23 T (=LMG 32236 T  = CECT 30508 T ) as respective type strains., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Seventy-four Gram-negative, motile, slightly curved rod-shaped, microaerophilic, oxidase-positive and catalase-negative isolates, recovered from fecal samples of the Anatolian ground squirrel (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus) in Kayseri, Turkey, were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Results of a genus-specific PCR indicated that all isolates belonged to the genus Campylobacter. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses revealed the closest match as Campylobacter curvus DSM 6644 T with identity levels of 96.41-96.70%. Based on the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny of the 74 isolates, six isolates (faydin-G24, faydin-G52, faydin-G105, faydin-G114, faydin-G129 and faydin-G140 T ) were chosen as representatives for further characterization. The overall genome relatedness indices for the strain faydin-G140 T , compared to the most closely related type strain C. curvus ATCC 35224 T , were calculated as 15.2%, 72.5%, and 83.7% for digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), and average nucleotide identity (ANIb and ANIm), respectively. The G+C content and genome size of the strains ranged between 35.2-35.4 mol% and 1.7-1.8 Mb, respectively. Based on data obtained from the polyphasic taxonomy approach, including phenotypic characterization as well as genomic and chemotaxonomic analyses, these strains are concluded to represent a novel species, for which the name Campylobacter anatolicus sp. nov. is proposed with faydin-G140 T as the type strain (=DSM 112311 T  = LMG 32238 T )., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)