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Viruses of mycoplasmas and spiroplasmas
Abstract:
Acholeplasmas, mycoplasmas and spiroplasmas of the class Mollicutes have been shown to carry DNA viruses. Morphologically they occur as rods, polyhedrons with short or long tails and as enveloped spheres. These latter resemble enveloped nonlytic animal viruses and are now placed in the new family of bacterial viruses the Plasmaviridae. Viruses of mycoplasmas and spiroplasmas present a suitable experimental model for studies of the virus-cell interactions.
Insights
Mollicutes bacteria, including Acholeplasmas, mycoplasmas, and spiroplasmas, harbor DNA viruses. These viruses, some resembling animal viruses, form the new Plasmaviridae family, offering a model for virus-cell interaction studies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Bacteriology
Background:
- The class Mollicutes, comprising Acholeplasmas, mycoplasmas, and spiroplasmas, are known to harbor DNA viruses.
- These viruses exhibit diverse morphologies, including rods, polyhedrons with tails, and enveloped spheres.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the DNA viruses found in Mollicutes.
- To investigate the classification and morphology of these bacterial viruses.
- To establish the utility of Mollicutes viruses as models for studying virus-cell interactions.
Main Methods:
- Morphological analysis of viral particles.
- Classification of newly identified viral families.
- Comparative studies of virus-cell interactions.
Main Results:
- DNA viruses were confirmed in Acholeplasmas, mycoplasmas, and spiroplasmas.
- Viral morphologies include rods, tailed polyhedrons, and enveloped spheres.
- Enveloped spherical viruses are classified into the new bacterial virus family, Plasmaviridae.
Conclusions:
- Mollicutes harbor a variety of DNA viruses with distinct morphologies.
- The Plasmaviridae family represents a novel group of enveloped bacterial viruses.
- Mycoplasma and spiroplasma viruses serve as valuable models for understanding virus-cell interactions.