What does this bacterium look like?
The name Gemmiger literally means “bud bearer”, which links to its appearance. This bacterium can create specific bulges in its cell structure that resemble buds. Researchers discovered this when they examined Gemmiger under a microscope, and this characteristic makes this bacterium quite unique!
You could compare its shape to an hourglass consisting of a large and a small part. The total length of this bacterium is usually about 1 to 2.3 micrometers. That is small when you know that 1000 micrometers fit into one millimeter. These bacteria often hang together in longer strands.
What does science already know about this bacterium?
Not much, even though this genus was first described in 1975. Gemmiger does not tolerate oxygen well and is therefore difficult to grow in the lab. We do know that there are several species. Some of them have been officially named, such as Gemmiger formicilis and Gemmiger gallinarum. The name of the first species refers to “formic acid”, a substance that this bacterium can produce. The name of the second species establishes a link with chickens. Why? Because this species was originally isolated from them.
Based on current knowledge, we suspect that Gemmiger has an average genome size of approximately 2 to 4 million base pairs with around 3,000 genes. This means that this bacterium can produce about 3,000 different substances.
What is this bacterium doing in my gut?
Good question! Not much is known yet about the exact role of Gemmiger. We do know that this bacterium loves food residues that you cannot digest yourself, such as fiber from fruit and vegetables. When Gemmiger gets to work, it converts these food residues into useful substances that make your intestines happy. A good example of this is formic acid.
On the one hand, formic acid lowers the acidity in your gut. This reduces the chance of harmful bacteria growing. But that’s not all! Other beneficial gut bacteria can in turn use formic acid and convert it into useful substances. Think of Blautia, for example, which can use formic acid to make acetate. This is how gut bacteria work together in a network and help each other.
Another example of a useful substance that Gemmiger can produce is butyrate. This is another useful short-chain fatty acid that provides energy to intestinal cells, resulting in a stronger intestinal wall (or intestinal lining). Butyrate is also capable of reducing inflammation. In this way, gut bacteria also strengthen your immune system and maintain peace in your gut.
But there’s more: recent research shows a link between lower levels of Gemmiger and kidney damage in diabetes (also known as diabetic kidney disease). Another study showed a negative link between Gemmiger and autoimmune diseases. It becomes clear that further research is needed to unravel the properties of Gemmiger, and our research team is happy to contribute to this. 🙂
Does this bacterium occur elsewhere?
Gemmiger feels most at home in your gut. When this bacterium moves outside its familiar environment, it cannot survive very well because it is very sensitive to oxygen. Researchers have also found Gemmiger in birds, where it also prefers to reside in the intestines.