Detection of Helicobacter DNA in different water sources and penguin feces from Greenwich, Dee and Barrientos Islands, Antarctica

Abstract

Helicobacter spp. colonize the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals and have been associated with gastrointestinal diseases. Antarctic habitats are considered pristine ecosystems, but the increase in human activity could be introducing human bacteria hosted into waters and wildlife. However, Helicobacter spp. occurrence has not been studied in Antarctica. The aim of our study was to detect the Helicobacter DNA in different water sources and penguin feces from Greenwich, Dee and Barrientos Islands during summer of 2012 and 2013. High Helicobacter proportion was observed in water sources amplifying the 16S rRNA (33/40) and 23S rRNA genes (37/40) by semi-nested PCR. Similar results were observed in feces from Gentoo penguins (16S rRNA: 32/39, and 23S rRNA: 28/39) and Chinstrap penguins (16S rRNA: 16/17, and 23S rRNA: 15/17) by PCR. The phylogenetic relationship of 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA sequences from penguin feces was closely related to Helicobacter brantae. Analyses of 16S rRNA sequences showed that the majority of water samples are related to penguin (3/6) and Helicobacter pylori (2/6) sequences, but the 23S rRNA sequences matched with Campylobacter and Arcobacter. These results show for the first time the presence of the genus Helicobacter in different Antarctica water sources and in Gentoo and Chinstrap penguin feces. A few 16S rRNA sequences are very closely related to H. pylori, but specific glmM and ureAH. pylori genes were not detected. More studies are needed to determine the Helicobacter species present in this ecosystem and to establish the human impact in these Antarctic Islands.