Simulation and prevention of retrovirus--specific reactions by mycoplasmas

From human mycosis fungoides tumor-derived cell lines, Mycoplasma hyorhinis was isolated. This mycoplasma shared the following characteristics with retroviruses: uptake of 3H-uridine, but not of 3H-thymidine in cell culture; banding at 1.16 g/ml sucrose density and partial shift to retrovirus core density position (approximately equal to 1.24 g/ml) after detergent treatment; incorporation of 3H-TMP into high molecular weight material in standard reverse transcriptase assays with the template-primer poly (A) . (dT)12. On the other hand, the specific reverse transcriptase reaction of retroviruses with poly(A) . (dT)12 and poly(C) . (dG) approximately 16 was almost completely abolished in the presence of the mycoplasma. Thus, M. hyorhinis may interfere with identification and isolation procedures for retroviruses.