Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Forward Genetic Approaches in Chlamydia trachomatis
09:03

Forward Genetic Approaches in Chlamydia trachomatis

Published on: October 23, 2013

Genome of Mycoplasma arthritidis

Kevin Dybvig1, Cao Zuhua, Ping Lao

  • 1Department of Genetics, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0024, USA. dybvig@uab.edu

Infection and Immunity
|June 25, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Mycoplasma arthritidis, a nonglycolytic bacterium, utilizes arginine for energy. Researchers sequenced its genome and created a transposon library, identifying essential and dispensable genes, including those for superantigens and ribosomal proteins.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Most Mycoplasma species use glycolysis for energy.
  • Ureaplasma and some other species, like Mycoplasma arthritidis, are exceptions, utilizing urea or arginine, respectively.
  • Understanding Mycoplasma arthritidis's unique metabolic pathways is crucial for its study.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the genome sequence of Mycoplasma arthritidis.
  • To construct and analyze a transposon library for Mycoplasma arthritidis.
  • To identify essential and dispensable genes within the Mycoplasma arthritidis genome.

Main Methods:

  • Genome sequencing of Mycoplasma arthritidis.
  • Construction of a transposon mutant library using a minitransposon.
  • High-throughput screening of the transposon library to identify gene disruptions.

Main Results:

  • The Mycoplasma arthritidis genome is 820,453 bp and contains gene families for phase-variable proteins.
  • A library of 1,100 transposon mutants was generated, disrupting 218 of 635 predicted coding regions.
  • Dispensable genes identified include the MAM superantigen and specific ribosomal proteins (S15, S18, L15).

Conclusions:

  • The genome sequence and transposon library provide a valuable resource for studying Mycoplasma arthritidis.
  • This research sheds light on the genetic basis of nonglycolytic metabolism and virulence factors in Mycoplasma arthritidis.
  • Identification of dispensable genes offers targets for further functional analysis and potential therapeutic strategies.

Related Concept Videos

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
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...
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS01:11

Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS

Genome-wide association studies or GWAS are used to identify whether common SNPs are associated with certain diseases. Suppose specific SNPs are more frequently observed in individuals with a particular disease than those without the disease. In that case, those SNPs are said to be associated with the disease. Chi-square analysis is performed to check the probability of the allele likely to be associated with the disease.
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
Viruses of Archaea01:29

Viruses of Archaea

Archaeal viruses play a crucial role in the ecosystems of extremophilic archaea, particularly those belonging to the phyla Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota. By shaping host evolution and facilitating gene transfer, these viruses influence microbial communities and contribute to genetic diversity in extreme environments. The archaea they infect thrive in acidic hot springs and hydrothermal vents characterized by high temperatures and low pH. Archaeal viruses exhibit remarkable structural...
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria01:30

Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria

Coryneform bacteria are gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile rods that exhibit irregular, club-shaped, or V-shaped arrangements. Their V-shape results from snapping division, where the inner cell wall layer forms the cross-wall, while the outer layer remains intact until it ruptures on one side, causing the daughter cells to bend away.The primary genera are Corynebacterium and Arthrobacter. Corynebacterium includes diverse species, ranging from saprophytes to pathogens like Corynebacterium...
Synthetic Biology02:55

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science that involves using principles from disciplines such as engineering, molecular biology, cell biology, and systems biology. It involves remodeling existing organisms from nature or constructing completely new synthetic organisms for applications such as protein or enzyme production, bioremediation, value-added macromolecule production, and the addition of desirable traits to crops, to name a few.
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...