Mycoplasmas
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Mycoplasmas
''Mycoplasma'' is a genus of bacteria that, like the other members of the class '' Mollicutes'', lack a cell wall around their cell membranes. Peptidoglycan ( murein) is absent. This characteristic makes them naturally resistant to antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis (like the beta-lactam antibiotics). They can be parasitic or saprotrophic. Several species are pathogenic in humans, including '' M. pneumoniae'', which is an important cause of "walking" pneumonia and other respiratory disorders, and ''M. genitalium'', which is believed to be involved in pelvic inflammatory diseases. ''Mycoplasma'' species (like the other species of the class ''Mollicutes'') are among the smallest organisms yet discovered, can survive without oxygen, and come in various shapes. For example, ''M. genitalium'' is flask-shaped (about 300 x 600 nm), while ''M. pneumoniae'' is more elongated (about 100 x 1000 nm), many ''Mycoplasma'' species are coccoid. Hundreds of ''Mycoplasma'' species ...
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Mycoplasma Pneumoniae
''Mycoplasma pneumoniae'' is a very small bacterium in the class Mollicutes. It is a human pathogen that causes the disease mycoplasma pneumonia, a form of atypical bacterial pneumonia related to cold agglutinin disease. ''M. pneumoniae'' is characterized by the absence of a peptidoglycan cell wall and resulting resistance to many antibacterial agents. The persistence of ''M. pneumoniae'' infections even after treatment is associated with its ability to mimic host cell surface composition. Discovery and history In 1898, Nocard and Roux isolated an agent assumed to be the cause of cattle pneumonia and named it ''microbe de la peripneumonie'' Microorganisms from other sources, having properties similar to the pleuropneumonia organism (PPO) of cattle, soon came to be known as pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLO), but their true nature remained unknown. Many PPLO were later proven to be the cause of pneumonias and arthritis in several lower animals. In 1944, Monroe Eaton had used ...
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Mycoplasma Hominis
''Mycoplasma hominis'' is a species of bacteria in the genus ''Mycoplasma''. ''M.hominis'' has the ability to penetrate the interior of human cells. Along with ureaplasmas, mycoplasmas are the smallest free-living organisms known. They have no cell wall and therefore do not Gram stain. ''Mycoplasma hominis'' is associated with pelvic inflammatory disease and bacterial vaginosis. It is also associated with male infertility. This species causes a sexually transmitted disease. It is susceptible to the antibiotic clindamycin. Growth of "fried egg" colonies on glucose agar medium within 24–48 hours is a characteristic of ''Mycoplasma hominis''. This pathogen may latently infect the chorionic villi tissues of pregnant women, thereby impacting pregnancy outcome. Biology and biochemistry Type and morphology ''Mycoplasma hominis'' is an opportunistic human mycoplasma species residing in the lower urogenital tract. It is a common human urogenital Mycoplasma species that lacks a ce ...
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Mollicutes
Mollicutes is a class of bacteria distinguished by the absence of a cell wall. The word "Mollicutes" is derived from the Latin ''mollis'' (meaning "soft" or "pliable"), and ''cutis'' (meaning "skin"). Individuals are very small, typically only 0.2–0.3 μm (200-300 nm) in size and have a very small genome size. They vary in form, although most have sterols that make the cell membrane somewhat more rigid. Many are able to move about through gliding, but members of the genus ''Spiroplasma'' are helical and move by twisting. The best-known genus in the Mollicutes is ''Mycoplasma''. Colonies show the typical "fried-egg" appearance. Mollicutes are parasites of various animals and plants, living on or in the host's cells. Many cause diseases in humans, attaching to cells in the respiratory or urogenital tracts, particularly species of ''Mycoplasma'' and ''Ureaplasma''. Phytoplasma and ''Spiroplasma'' are plant pathogens associated with insect vectors. Whereas formerly the trivial n ...
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Mycoplasma Haemofelis
''Mycoplasma haemofelis'' (formerly ''Haemobartonella felis'') is a gram-negative epierythrocytic parasitic bacterium. It often appears in bloodsmears as small (0.6μm) coccoid bodies, sometimes forming short chains of three to eight organisms. It is usually the causative agent of feline infectious anemia (FIA) in the United States. The ~1.15 Mb genome contains a minimalistic assortment of genes limited to the most basic cellular functions. This leaves ''M. haemofelis'' inextricably dependent upon its host for the provision of amino acids, cholesterol, vitamins and fatty acids. The complex and specific conditions that the bacterium requires have made it impossible to culture outside a host thus far. Arthropod vectors are thought to be the primary source of infection, although ''M. haemofelis'' is also known to be transmitted from queen to kitten and following blood transfusion. Immunocompromization and/or coinfection with FeLV, FIV and other ''Mycoplasma'' species can exacerb ...
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Peptidoglycan
Peptidoglycan or murein is a unique large macromolecule, a polysaccharide, consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like peptidoglycan layer outside the plasma membrane, the rigid cell wall (murein sacculus) characteristic of most bacteria (domain ''Bacteria''). The sugar component consists of alternating residues of β-(1,4) linked ''N''-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and ''N''-acetylmuramic acid (NAM). Attached to the ''N''-acetylmuramic acid is a oligopeptide chain made of three to five amino acids. The peptide chain can be cross-linked to the peptide chain of another strand forming the 3D mesh-like layer. Peptidoglycan serves a structural role in the bacterial cell wall, giving structural strength, as well as counteracting the osmotic pressure of the cytoplasm. This repetitive linking results in a dense peptidoglycan layer which is critical for maintaining cell form and withstanding high osmotic pressures, and it is regularly replaced by peptidoglycan production. Pep ...
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Mycoplasma Fermentans
''Mycoplasma fermentans'' is a very small bacterium in the class Mollicutes. Like other mycoplasmas ''M. fermentans'' is characterized by the absence of a peptidoglycan cell wall and resulting resistance to many antibacterial agents. It is a possible human pathogen with roles suggested in many illness such as respiratory, genital, and rheumatoid diseases among others. Investigations have focused on a possible link to it being a cofactor in HIV infection as well as fibromyalgia, Gulf War syndrome and Chronic fatigue syndrome, however the belief that ''M. fermentans'' is pathogenic in such conditions has largely been disregarded after the failure of several large scale studies to find a link. Due to its incredibly small size it is difficult to determine the full extent of its role in human diseases, while ''M. fermentans'' has been implicated in a myriad of diseases, research at the current point has not conclusively proven its pathogenicity in humans outside of opportunistic infect ...
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Murein
Peptidoglycan or murein is a unique large macromolecule, a polysaccharide, consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like peptidoglycan layer outside the plasma membrane, the rigid cell wall (murein sacculus) characteristic of most bacteria (domain ''Bacteria''). The sugar component consists of alternating residues of β-(1,4) linked ''N''-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and ''N''-acetylmuramic acid (NAM). Attached to the ''N''-acetylmuramic acid is a oligopeptide chain made of three to five amino acids. The peptide chain can be cross-linked to the peptide chain of another strand forming the 3D mesh-like layer. Peptidoglycan serves a structural role in the bacterial cell wall, giving structural strength, as well as counteracting the osmotic pressure of the cytoplasm. This repetitive linking results in a dense peptidoglycan layer which is critical for maintaining cell form and withstanding high osmotic pressures, and it is regularly replaced by peptidoglycan production. Peptid ...
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Mycoplasma Incognitus
''Mycoplasma incognitus'' is a human invasive ''Mycoplasma'' type bacteria, as well as a disease agent that can cause a variety of different diseases. ''M. incognitus'' is an immunomodulatory agent, which means that it can weaken the immune response by decreasing the ability of the immune system to produce antibodies. This mycoplasma is highly contagious, and can be passed from person to person via bodily fluids, such as sweat and blood. Since ''M. incognitus'' is a mycoplasma, it does not have a cell wall, which means that it is naturally immune to many different antibiotics, such as penicillin or other antibiotics that target the cell wall. This new mycoplasma, however, was later determined to be a close form of ''Mycoplasma fermentans'', although it does differ''.'' Genome ''Mycoplasma incognitus'' acts as a parasite, and gains most of its nutrients from its host because it has a very small genome, consisting of only the genes essential for life. It is estimated that ''M. in ...
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Mycoplasma Faucium
''Mycoplasma faucium '' is a species of bacteria in the genus ''Mycoplasma''. This genus of bacteria lacks a cell wall around their cell membrane. Without a cell wall, they are unaffected by many common antibiotics such as penicillin or other beta-lactam antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis. Mycoplasma are the smallest bacterial cells yet discovered, can survive without oxygen and are typically about 0.1  µm in diameter. It was first described in 1974 and has been considered a rare inhabitant of humans. It is considered to usually be a commensal and is a rare bacteria of the normal microbiota of the human oropharynx; it is sometimes cultured from oropharynx of nonhuman primates. However, recent reports have proposed that in common with ''Mycoplasma hominis ''Mycoplasma hominis'' is a species of bacteria in the genus ''Mycoplasma''. ''M.hominis'' has the ability to penetrate the interior of human cells. Along with ureaplasmas, mycoplasmas are the smallest free-livi ...
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Mycoplasma Buccale
''Mycoplasma buccale '' is a species of bacteria in the genus ''Mycoplasma''. This genus of bacteria lacks a cell wall around their cell membrane. Without a cell wall, they are unaffected by many common antibiotics such as penicillin or other beta-lactam A beta-lactam (β-lactam) ring is a four-membered lactam. A ''lactam'' is a cyclic amide, and ''beta''-lactams are named so because the nitrogen atom is attached to the β-carbon atom relative to the carbonyl. The simplest β-lactam possible is ... antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis. Mycoplasma are the smallest bacterial cells yet discovered, can survive without oxygen and are typically about 0. 1  µm in diameter. It was first described in 1974 and is considered a rare inhabitant of humans. The type strain is strain ATCC 23636 = CIP 105530 = IFO (now NBRC) 14851 = NCTC 10136. This species is noted for its ability to recover from the damaging effects of UV light, which usually is fatal to other mycoplasma speci ...
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Cell Membrane
The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane (PM) or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of all cells from the outside environment (the extracellular space). The cell membrane consists of a lipid bilayer, made up of two layers of phospholipids with cholesterols (a lipid component) interspersed between them, maintaining appropriate membrane fluidity at various temperatures. The membrane also contains membrane proteins, including integral proteins that span the membrane and serve as membrane transporters, and peripheral proteins that loosely attach to the outer (peripheral) side of the cell membrane, acting as enzymes to facilitate interaction with the cell's environment. Glycolipids embedded in the outer lipid layer serve a similar purpose. The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of cells and organelles, being selectively permeable to ions a ...
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Mycoplasmataceae
Mycoplasmataceae is a family of bacteria in the order Mycoplasmatales. This family consists of the genera ''Mycoplasma'' and ''Ureaplasma''. In 1967, the order Mycoplasmatales was incorporated into the class Mollicutes. Many species are sexually transmitted and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Taxonomy ''Mycoplasma'' ''Mycoplasma ''refers to a genus of bacteria that lack a cell wall and possess a three-layered cellular membrane. They can be parasitic or saprotrophic. Several species are sexually transmitted and pathogenic in humans. Others are found on cats, dogs, and barnyard fowl. ''Ureaplasma'' ''Ureaplasma'' is the second of two genera of bacteria belonging to the family Mycoplasmataceae. As the name implies, ureaplasma is urease positive. This genera is distinct from other genera in Mollicutes in that it hydrolyses urea for generation of ATP. ''Ureaplasma'' ''spp.'' as human pathogens Both ''Ureaplasma urealyticum'' and '' Ureaplasma parvum'' have been identified as ...
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