To Be or Not to Be Mesophilic, That Is the Question for Aeromonas salmonicida

The bacterium Aeromonas salmonicida has long been known to be one of the most feared pathogens in fish farming. However, the more we discover about this bacterial species, the more we question whether it is really exclusively an aquatic pathogen. In recent years, it has become obvious that this bacterial species includes a myriad of strains with various lifestyle and ecological niches, including the well-known strict psychrophiles, the first bacteria known of the species, and the newly described mesophilic strains. The mesophiles are able to grow at low temperatures, but even better at temperatures of approximately 37 degrees C, which strict psychrophiles cannot do. In this perspective article, we address some aspects surrounding this dual lifestyle in A. salmonicida, including the impact of mobile genetic elements, and how future research around this bacterial species may focus on the psychrophilic/mesophilic dichotomy, which makes A. salmonicida an increasingly interesting and relevant model for the study of speciation.

Automated summary

Aeromonas salmonicida, a bacterial species known as a feared pathogen in fish farming, is not exclusively aquatic. It includes psychrophilic and mesophilic strains, and the study of its dual lifestyle is becoming increasingly important and relevant for speciation research.