Mycobacterium gastri
Mycobacterium gastri is a species of the phylum Actinomycetota, belonging to the genus Mycobacterium.
Description
Moderately long to long, Gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile and acid-fast rods.Colony characteristics
- Nonchromogenic, smooth to rough, white colonies on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and smooth or somewhat granular on Middlebrook 7H10 agar.
- Growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium or on Middlebrook 7H10 agar at 37 °C,, within 7 or more days.
- Does not grow in the presence of ethambutol or isoniazid.
- Closely related to M. kansasii
- M. gastri and M. kansasii share an identical 16S rDNA sequence. Species differentiation is possible by differences in the ITS and hsp65 sequences.
- M. kansasii produces a photochromogenic yellow pigment.
- AccuProbes for M. kansasii are negative.
Pathogenesis
- Casual resident of human stomachs, but not considered a cause of disease.
- Biosafety level 1
Type strain
- First isolated from human gastric specimen. Also found in soil.