LBYBIOD

Mycoplasma
Smallest free-living gram negative bacteria,
range from 0.2-0.8 micrometers
Smallest genome size resulting to lack of
metabolic pathways and requires complex
media for its isolation
They are unicellular non-motile prokaryotic
cell forming fried egg shaped colonies.
A
rigid cell wall is absent. Plasmamembrane- three layered outer covering is
present.
Cell membrane is made up of proteins and
sterols.

Mycoplasma

Members of the genus Mycoplasma are

obligate parasites and pathogens of a
wide range of mammalian and avian hosts
and tend to be adapted to a specific host.

Pleomorphic, varying in shape from

spherical, slightly ovoid or pear shaped to
slender branched filaments of uniform
diameter.

Mycoplasma
(structure)

Mycoplasma
(structure)

Small coccid bodies, swollen ring like forms

and filamentous branched forms of variable
length.
Without cell wall and possess only a plasma
membrane
Cell membrane - three layered or "Unit" type.
Rigid, externally thin, and resistant because
of chemicals like sterol present in it.
Sterols are not synthesized by these
organisms but are taken up from the
surrounding medium.

Mycoplasma
(structure)
Certain typical forms were noticed in old
cultures.
Some of them loose their
rigidity and swell
up,
others may
develop small granules only to revert back
of their original form, also called the Lforms of Bacteria.
These
L-forms can be obtained by
treating the bacterial cultures with
enzymes like lysozyme or an antibiotic
such as penicillin.
It lyse the cell walls, with the result small
spherical bodies resembling mycoplasmas
are formed.

Mycoplasma
(Diseases)
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- transmission is from person to person by
means of respiratory secretion.
- Most common type of illness caused is
tracheobronchitis or chest cold.
- Infection can cause pneumonia.
- Infection is initiated by attachment of the
organisms tip to a receptor on the
respiratory epithelial cells.

ECM of Mycoplasma pneomoniae attached

to respiratory epithilial cells

Mycoplasma
(Diseases)
Mycoplasma hominis
- Associated with infection of salpingitis
and tubo-ovarian abscesses.
- Pyelonephritis, pelvic inflammatory
disease, postpartum fever.
Ureaplasma urealyticum
- associated with non-gonococcal
urethritis
- associated with lung disease in infants
who acquired organism during birth

ECM of Ureaplasma
urealyticum

ECM of Mycoplasma
hominis

References

http://www.gitam.edu/eresource/environmental/em_m
aruthi/mycoplasmas.htm
http://www.microbiologybook.org/mayer/myco.htm
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/0zM_Tenericutes/Myc
oplasma/Mycoplasma.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/pneumonia/atypical/mycoplasma/
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/nqkRAIXQN48/V8_YbPo8FKI/AAAAAAAACQg/947BFFtkvIl9YrqfiQR2k1fCitPppbPQCLcB/s400/vs25.3.jpg
http://jcm.asm.org/content/47/9/3050/F2.large.jpg
http://wishart.biology.ualberta.ca/BacMap/includes/spe
cies/Ureaplasma_urealyticum.png