Akkermansia

Akkermansia is a genus in the phylum Verrucomicrobia (Bacteria).^[1] The genus was first proposed in 2004 by Muriel Derrien and others, with the type species Akkermansia muciniphila (gen. nov., sp. nov).^[2]

Etymology

The name Akkermansia derives from:
New Latin feminine gender noun Akkermansia, named after Antoon DL Akkermans (28 October 1940 - 21 August 2006),<ref name=Anton_Akkermanns_IM_SR> In memory of Antonius Dirk Louis (Anton) Akkermans, Springer Reference, retrieved 30 April 2014  </ref> a Dutch microbiologist recognized for his contribution to microbial ecology.^[3]

Species

The genus contains a single species,^[3] namely A. muciniphila ( Derrien et al. 2004, (Type species of the genus).; New Latin neuter gender noun mucinum, mucin; New Latin adjective philus from Greek adjective philos (φίλος) meaning friend, loving; New Latin feminine gender adjective muciniphila, mucin-loving.)^[4]

Description of Akkermansia gen. nov.

Akkermansia (Ak.ker.man'si.a. N.L. fem. n. Akkermansia derived from Antoon Akkermans, a Dutch microbiologist recognized for his contribution to microbial ecology). Cells are oval-shaped, non-motile and stain Gram-negative. Strictly anaerobic. Chemo-organotrophic. Mucolytic in pure culture.^[2]:1474

Human metabolism

Researchers have discovered that Akkermansia muciniphila may be able to be used to combat obesity and type 2 diabetes. The study was carried out with mice, overfed to contain three times more fat than its lean cousin. The obese mice were then fed the bacteria, which were shown to reduce the fat burden of the mice by half without any change to the mice's diet. The bacterium is naturally present in the human digestive tract at 3-5%, but has been seen to fall with obesity. It is thought that eating the bacterium increases the gut wall thickness, with the addition of mucin, which will block food from being absorbed by the body.^[5]

See also

• Bacterial taxonomy
• Microbiology

References