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Flask-shaped mycoplasmas: properties and pathogenicity for man and animals
Abstract:
In spite of the variations in cell form and cell size, some mycoplasmas show several consistent and peculiar structural features: a flask- or club-shaped cell form and a more or less defined terminal structure. Organisms with these features can be observed within the species Mycoplasma pneumoniae, M. genitalium, M. pulmonis, M. gallisepticum, M. alvi, M. sualvi and Mycoplasma sp. strain 163 K. Ultrastructural peculiarities of some flask-shaped mycoplasmas are a surface nap and a cytoskeleton. With the exception of M. alvi and M. sualvi, for which detailed investigations are lacking, the flask-shaped mycoplasmas differ from the other mycoplasmas by their gliding motility and adherence properties. All of the flask-shaped mycoplasmas ferment glucose, but there are differences in the other biochemical properties investigated and in the guanine + cytosine ratio. The question remains whether the flask shape, the adherence and the motility are associated with pathogenicity, since three mycoplasmas with these properties are established pathogens. No data are available at present on the pathogenicity of the remaining four species, but several criteria suggest that at least two of them may have an etiological role in disease.
Insights
Certain mycoplasmas exhibit unique flask shapes and terminal structures, differing in motility and adherence. Their association with pathogenicity remains under investigation, with some species confirmed as pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Pathogen Discovery
Background:
- Mycoplasmas display diverse cell morphologies, but some species share distinctive flask- or club-shaped forms and terminal structures.
- These unique structural features are observed in species including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, M. genitalium, M. pulmonis, M. gallisepticum, M. alvi, M. sualvi, and Mycoplasma sp. strain 163 K.
- Ultrastructural analysis reveals a surface nap and cytoskeleton in some flask-shaped mycoplasmas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the consistent structural and functional characteristics of flask-shaped mycoplasmas.
- To compare the motility, adherence, and biochemical properties of flask-shaped mycoplasmas with other mycoplasma types.
- To explore the potential link between the unique morphology, motility, adherence, and pathogenicity of these mycoplasmas.
Main Methods:
- Comparative morphological analysis using electron microscopy.
- Assessment of gliding motility and cell adherence properties.
- Biochemical profiling, including glucose fermentation and guanine + cytosine ratio determination.
Main Results:
- Flask-shaped mycoplasmas, excluding M. alvi and M. sualvi, exhibit distinct gliding motility and adherence compared to other mycoplasmas.
- All investigated flask-shaped mycoplasmas ferment glucose, but variations exist in other biochemical profiles and GC content.
- Three flask-shaped mycoplasma species are established pathogens, suggesting a potential link between these features and disease causation.
Conclusions:
- Flask shape, motility, and adherence are consistent features in several mycoplasma species, differentiating them from other related organisms.
- While biochemical properties vary, glucose fermentation is common among flask-shaped mycoplasmas.
- The pathogenicity of flask-shaped mycoplasmas warrants further investigation, as evidence suggests a potential etiological role in disease for several species.