Isometry groups of separable metric spaces

Abstract We show that every locally compact Polish group is isomorphic to the isometry group of a proper separable metric space. This answers a question of Gao and Kechris. We also analyze the natural action of the isometry group of a separable ultrametric space on the space. This leads us to a structure theorem representing an arbitrary separable ultrametric space as a bundle with an ultrametric base and with ultrahomogeneous fibers which are invariant under the action of the isometry group.