Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Cultivation Methods of Spirochetes from Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex and Relapsing Fever Borrelia
10:37

Cultivation Methods of Spirochetes from Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex and Relapsing Fever Borrelia

Published on: November 25, 2022

A spiroplasma associated with tremor disease in the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Wen Wang1,2, Bohai Wen3, Gail E Gasparich4

  • 1Department of Biological Science and Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China.

Microbiology (Reading, England)
|September 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Tremor disease in Chinese mitten crabs is caused by a Spiroplasma bacterium, not a rickettsia-like organism. This discovery marks the first identification of Spiroplasma in a crustacean, impacting disease research and freshwater ecology.

Area of Science:

  • Aquatic microbiology
  • Crustacean pathology
  • Infectious diseases

Background:

  • Tremor disease poses a significant threat to Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis) in China.
  • The causative agent was previously misidentified as a rickettsia-like organism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To accurately identify the etiological agent responsible for tremor disease in Chinese mitten crabs.
  • To characterize the morphology, cultivation, and pathogenicity of the identified agent.

Main Methods:

  • 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis.
  • Light and electron microscopy.
  • In vitro cultivation in embryonated chicken eggs and M1D medium.
  • Experimental infection of crabs.

Main Results:

  • The agent showed 98% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to Spiroplasma mirum.
  • Microscopy revealed a helical morphology and lack of a cell wall, consistent with Spiroplasma.
  • The agent was successfully cultivated and caused disease upon experimental inoculation.
  • This is the first reported instance of Spiroplasma infection in a crustacean species.

Conclusions:

  • The causative agent of tremor disease in Chinese mitten crabs is identified as a Spiroplasma species.
  • This finding is significant for understanding crustacean diseases and the broader ecological role of Spiroplasma.

More Related Videos

Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa08:44

Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa

Published on: April 8, 2016

Investigating the Spreading and Toxicity of Prion-like Proteins Using the Metazoan Model Organism C. elegans12:57

Investigating the Spreading and Toxicity of Prion-like Proteins Using the Metazoan Model Organism C. elegans

Published on: January 8, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes01:30

Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes

Spirochetes, unique bacteria in the phylum Spirochaetes, are gram-negative, motile, tightly coiled, slender, and flexible. They inhabit aquatic sediments and animals, with some causing diseases like syphilis. Spirochetes are classified into eight genera based on habitat, pathogenicity, phylogeny, and characteristics.Their distinctive motility arises from endoflagella, located within the cell’s periplasm. These endoflagella anchor at the cell poles and extend along the cell length, encased by a...
Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
Diversity of Protists IV01:27

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...